SUPER ROBOT WARS ALPHA 2 Walkthrough
by Mark Neidengard (mneideng@ugcs.caltech.edu)
version 1.0
Please report all errors to me ^_^;;

This FAQ is intended to be one (and a half?) steps removed from a line by line
translation.  I hope it will help people who enjoy this game's strategy to
appreciate the plot behind it too.

Welcome to SRWA2, the latest installment in the extremely long running series
of anime-crossover Turn-Based Strategy games.  If you're new to this series,
this game has an extremely rich set of features, some of which may bewilder
people who haven't "grown up" with its predecessors.  This game is the sequel
to SRW Alpha Gaiden, which is in turn the sequel to SRW Alpha... it is _not_
part of the SRW Impact chronology, nor is it part of the original SRW series...
 or SRW 64 etc etc.

For those who have played at least SRW Alpha, this game has a number of
alterations and new features.  Among them:

  - The Platoon System (aka squads, etc).  Rather than each entity on the
    battle map being a single mech, it is now a collection of up to four mechs:
    one squad "leader" and zero or more additional "members".  The game
    features a whole pile of new mechanics for how to organize and reorganize
    squads, primarily available during the Intermission screens.  Some facts:

    1. Every vehicle has a Cost, and the total cost of the squad cannot exceed
       5 units.  Items called "Cost Down"s can reduce a given unit's cost.

    2. You can switch which unit is the squad leader from the pop-up menu on
       the map.

    3. Only the squad leader can take direct actions (attack, heal, resupply,
       etc.)  Any squad member can use Spirit abilities.

  - The existence of squads opens up the floor for squad combat.  Squad members
    follow the lead of the squad leader, both doing and sustaining a fraction
    of the damage they would if they were leaders themselves.  Additionally,
    squad members can only squad attack with their weapon labeled "PLA".  Note
    that when squad attacking, any usage restrictions the PLA weapons might
    have otherwise had (can't use after moving etc.) are void.

  - Squad members that have Cooperative Defense can cooperatively defend their
    squad leader.  Additionally, some units have special defensive abilities
    (Chakra Shield etc.) of the type "wide area".  Such abilities will defend
    every unit in a squad struck by an attack.

  - The magic system incorporates a number of changes, especially to the spells
    Friendship and Love.  Like SRWAG, this game depowers or removes some of the
    most powerful spells from SRWA.

When you start your game, you will discover a choice among four main
characters: male and female for Real and Super robots.  Zengar Zonbolt,
formerly lackey of the late Meigas, is the male Super pilot, and apparently
does not have a significant other.  Kusuha Mizuha is the super robot pilot,
with boyfriend Britto and the incomparable Ryuu-Ko-Ou to pilot (sort of).  The
Real robots have pilots too.  This walkthrough follows Kusuha's route for now
- maybe sometime I'll go back and document the other routes.

Enjoy the game.


Stage 1. Ryuuko Gekitotsu ("Dragon-Tiger, Charge!")

"This happened a little while after the end of the conflict called the 'Balmar
War'.  Back the, I was..."  Viletta tells Kusuha to live a life of freedom,
saying that it's all she and hers can do to atone for their past sins towards
Kusuha.  Perhaps they'll one day meet again.  "So, Britto and I became free.
And as time passed, we..."

Kenta is about to head out, and so is Kusuha, who's headed to the library to
get in a bit of studying towards her eventual goal of becoming a doctor.  Kenta
figures that's pretty important, given all the earthquakes and tidal waves
that've been hitting recently and that the war damage isn't fully repaired
yet.
 Kenta wonders whether Kusuha used telepathy or something to figure out that
he's fled the house out of his dislike for studying - this was no great
deduction considering that the robot OVA is following him.  OVA rather curtly
tells Kenta to mind her until the master comes home, reminding him that she
_is_ his tutor.  She then confides rather contritely to Kusuha that Kenta's
father is about to return after his long absence in America, noting that
Kenta's been doing nothing but goofing off.  Kenta for his part isn't worried
about his father's reaction, saying that the job of all children is playing.
Moreover, Kusuha's lover is also in America - and she guesses she won't be able
to see him for a while yet.  Just then a peal of thunder can be heard, despite
the blue sky... which has suddenly darkened.  As Kusuha wonders if it's about
to rain, her Psychodriver [ooh, do you remember that stuff from Alpha? ^_^]
powers inform her that something wicked this way comes.

Whatever it is is making Kusuha scream a lot, and that goes for Kenta too.  It
is in fact none other than the Ryuu-Ou-Ki, badly damaged - what the heck is it
doing here?!  Worse, the Ko-Ou-Ki has followed it, piloted by some shadowy
figure who isn't planning on letting the Ryuu-Ou-Ki escape.  Whoever it is
claims to serve the "guardian".  As Kusuha yells out to whoever's piloting the
Ko-Ou-Ki, that person tells the Ryuu-Ou-Ki to remember the duty of the
Choukijin.  The Ryuu-Ou-Ki is just not prepared to serve whoever this strange
master is, and as the Ko-Ou-Ki's pilot is about to strike the final blow a
third party intervenes: Volfogg and a certain someone from the GGG.  Volfogg is
quite surprised to see these two machines, who supposedly fought to save
humanity, fighting here - the details will have to wait though, since letting
them fight will surely damage the city.  Volfogg's commander is hesitant to let
him join the fight, and warns him not to overextend himself.  While the battle
is about to be joined, OVA tries to get Kusuha and Kenta to retreat, which
Kusuha can't do - she can't stand to abandon the machine which fought alongside
her all that time...

  On the second turn, a bunch of new enemies appear, lead by Bardlar.  They've
  been looking for the Choukijin it seems, and Volfogg reads in the database
  that this is one of Mikeene's seven generals, commanding a group of bird-
  shaped reconnaissance beasts.  That a commander would appear himself is pretty
  impressive - apparently while Bardlar isn't afraid of the humans, his plan is
  to get his hands on the perpetual motion machines that power the Choukijin
  and offer them to his Emperor as a way to curry favor.  Bardlar claims that
  he'll allow the Choukijin to live if they come to him willingly, but the
  pilot of the Ko-Ou-Ki says that he serves but one master, whose purpose is to
  protect this planet.  He reminds the Ryuu-Ou-Ki that it can't escape its
  destiny of protecting the world, and conveniently disappears.  Fortunately,
  the GGG already have been sent the data, and should be able to follow where
  it went using their satellites.  As Bardlar is about to content himself with
  the one remaining machine, Kouji shows up to get in his way along with a
  couple friends.  Apparently Kouji knew very well that the Mikeene would be
  causing more trouble, and now extremely pissed off vows to settle the score
  this time for good.  Kouji and crew are, however, very surprised to see the
  Ryuu-Ou-Ki, and quickly realize they've got to protect it at all costs.

  For a skill point, defeat Bardlar within six turns.

  Kouji's pretty sure that he won't even need Tetsuya for this one, though
  Bardlar has other ideas...  He's astounded that someone would take him on
  without a mecha, and wonders what the hell Volfogg is talking about about
  collecting his data.  He's worth a Chobham Armor.

After the battle, it seems that Volfogg has overexerted himself after all - Gai
tells him to return to GGG HQ immediately... but first, there's a very
distraught Kusuha trying and failing to tend to Ryuu-Ou-Ki's terrible wounds.
Kouji and the crew belatedly recognize Kusuha, who it turns out has been going
to the same school as Boz's new circle of friends.  They've been worried about
what became of her, but right now the Ryuu-Ou-Ki's wounds come first.  Gai
tells them to bring the thing to GGG, and FAST - else it's going to die.

At G Island City, the battle is on to save Ryuu-Ou-Ki's life.  They inject G
liquid, fearing a rejection response but, happily for Swan and the crew, it
seems to work.  Shishiou notes that it uses a different type of Overtechnology
from the Galleon - more precisely, lost technology.  He figures that the only
option is to look after it for a while, despite possible objections from Chief
Miwa at the Far East Branch.  He figures that for the most part it should be
like caring for a lion or a dragon - all that's left is to fix up the parts
that it's missing... which, given that it's already got parts from the Grungast
installed from the previous war, shouldn't be too much of a problem.  As he
reminds you of all the eminent minds that performed this engineering feat,
Entouji tells him that the other Choukijin's whereabouts have been lost - looks
like the Satellite System still needs some kinks worked out of it too.  He
tells Entouji to work on fixing Volfogg, prohibiting him from moving until he's
fixed.  Still, why have the Choukijin, hidden for so long, shown themselves
now, and fighting amongst themselves to boot?  Noone is sure, but it can't bode
well.  The Galleon may well be needed again.

Kusuha is very grateful that the Ryuu-Ou-Ki has been saved, though Mikoto
rather ashamedly tells her that Gai won't be available to thank for a while.
Just then Taiga shows up to explain where everyone now is - the secret defense
agency created by the Federation after the last war: the Gutsy Geoid Guard, or
GGG's headquarters.  Taiga introduces himself as the supreme commander of this
facility, despite his public persona as director of a space development concern
- camouflage for the GGG's real purpose.  Kusuha explains that she and her
boyfriend had been in the custody of the Titans, who were questioning them
pointedly about how they were able to move the Choukijin.  After the Titans
were dismantled, Viletta managed to save the two of them, and at Oomiya's
advice the two of them hid themselves for a while instead of getting right
back in touch with the others.  Unfortunately, Britto, who has remained behind
at the Tesla Raihi lab in America, has been out of touch for the past few
days.  She's not sure if this has something to do with the black Ko-Ou-Ki, but
she does know that that machine felt different than it used to; she's pretty
sure that Britto was not piloting it.  Taiga tells her that Oomiya is scheduled
to arrive here any moment, and suggests that she ask him about Brooklyn
Larkfield directly.  So many questions, so few answers...


Stage 2. Goshogun, Gasshin Go!

It's the return of Robert and Eri, two great scientific minds who make science
great together!  Or stuff.  Anyway, Robert and the crew have reached the
conclusion that the only way to truly rehabilitate the Ryuu-Ou-Ki is to add on
more Grungast parts and make it reborn as a totally new machine - the
"Ryuu-Jin-Ki".  This machine will have a new body but inherit all the
Ryuu-Ou-Ki's abilities, as well as its "soul".  Shiba is worried about the
Ko-Ou-Ki, which had never shown hostility towards its fellow Choukijin before
- what could possibly have motivated this conflict?  In any case, further
investigation is clearly necessary, since the Choukijin surely conceal more
secrets than have yet been revealed.  Looks like Kusuha may get drafted to
pilot the Ryuu-Jin-Ki once again...

Unfortunately, both Gai and Volfogg will be out of action for a while yet -
which is bad due to the evil Docougar forces (led by the Mikeene) who are now
on the move.  Until the Far East Base's Taikuu Maryuu Sentai is ready to
launch, the GGG have to somehow hold the fort.  Fortunately, Kouji (and
friends) are on the scene to help out in just such an emergency.  Taiga is glad
for the help (even from the undependable Boz), but doesn't want to be dependent
on their help forever.  Moreover, there seems to be a bit of bad blood between
Kouji and Chief Miwa... and Hyuuga hasn't helped things with his hot temper
showing to Miwa either.  SOMETHING has to be done to counter the Docougar and
the so-called Reclaimers, and Shishiou has a suggestion...

Kusuha learns that Viletta and the other SRX pilots have all gone missing,
Viletta only once getting in touch to say that they're all safe.  Meanwhile,
Britto has gone off into the mountains to train himself to use weapons other
than the sword - fitting apparently for the former pilot of the Ko-Ou-Ki.
This is apparently typical for this guy, who seems to have some strange ideas
running through his head.  Robert is fully expecting to hear Britto contact him
in a few days with stories of fighting bears in the Rocky Mountains or some
such.  Oh, and something strange happened when they were retrofitting the
Ryuu-Jin-Ki: some of the armor they attached turned white.  The only thing
Kusuha can think of is that this might be an attempt to remind Ko-Ou-Ki what
its original color scheme was before it turned black.

Just then Taiga calls Kusuha in, and hesitantly asks for her help as the
Ryuu-Jin-Ki's pilot.  He's rather surprised when Kusuha accepts immediately;
she's been prepared for this moment ever since the previous war...

Elsewhere, Masada is pondering the recent activity of Getter Rays and Beamlar,
something that could usher in a new stage of humanity if understood.  Too bad
for him a group of androids breaks in at that moment, led by the piratical
Kuttner.  Kuttner informs Masada that he's just enlisted(!) in the Docougar,
that mysterious syndicate that controls the world economy from behind the
scenes.  Apparently Masada's brain and research are valuable enough to the
Docougar that they'll spare his life if he cooperates.  He's not very
intimidated by this, and points out that if they kill him they'll never learn
the secrets of Beamlar - and orders Kuttner to think up a better threat next
time.  Kuttner, furious, tells him that it's only his _brain_ they need
intact, not the rest of his body...or perhaps he'd prefer Kenta to take his
place? Masada realizes that no struggles of his will avail anything, and
summarily decides to self-destruct himself to take Kuttner along with him(!!!)

Meanwhile, Kenta wonders who the people coming up to his house are - maybe his
dad?  Well, what used to be his dad is now a giant smoking crater, and Kernagul
is immensely pissed off that Masada was allowed to die.  Sadly, Kuttner
survived the blast - and tries to brush off the "single-braincelled" Kernagul
with the explanation that his brilliant deductive powers led him to suspect
that the results of the Beamlar experiments were hidden in the huge space
beneath the Masada mansion (in fact, he just found that by mistake).  Kuttner
doesn't make the most convincing would-be child kidnaper as he tries to lure
Kenta to come with him, especially considering the patch on his eye and the
crow on his shoulder.  Still, he almost manages to grab Kenta until
Savalas(@_@!!!) intervenes and leads Kenta to safety.  As Kuttner and Kernagul
bicker, a giant mecha emerges from under the wreckage of the Masada house.
Kernagul wants to know what the hell it is, and won't accept Kuttner's
explanation that it's the result of all the Beamlar research - any idiot can
see it's just a garden-variety run-of-the-mill mobile fortress ^_^ ^_^  An
entity called "Father" announces that the Good Thunder is now online and
linking up with the Teleportation Energy Beamlar.  From out of nowhere, Shingo
and his crew pop out in the Goshogun, though due to "technical difficulties"
the Trithree's introduction gets skipped.  Shingo explains to a somewhat irate
Remy that the times have changed and that speed is at a premium in this kind
of stuff.  Remy can already foresee that fighting alongside these guys is going
to build up stress, though Kiry hopes only to build up money.  Time to go to
work as heroes and heroines - preferably not tragic ones.

  For a skill point, shoot everyone but Kernagul down first.

  On turn 2, Hyouma and crew show up in Combattler V to put a stop to all
  this - provided Hyouma can get the name of his adversaries right.  He's
  at least quick on the draw at getting Kosaku to explain who the Docougar are,
  and Remy helpfully points out that her people are Allies of Justice(tm)
  fated to fight against them.  Hyouma's prepared to trust them at least for
  this battle until things get sorted out.

  On turn three, the rest of your people show up.  Kusuha is very glad
  Kenta's safe, and the Combattler crew notice very quickly that the Ryuu-Ou-Ki
  is back in action, sort of.  The lengthy reunions will have to wait for
  later, and the bad guys figure that the reinforcements won't make any
  difference.  Apparently Kernagul's name sounds enough like a certain fried
  chicken chain to distract things momentarily, until Kouji vows to fry
  Kernagul's chicken _Japanese_ style!

  One of the bad guys has a Kuttneriser.

  Savalas will refuse to hand over the Good Thunder to the bad guys, saying
  that it would mean the end of the world.  When Shingo gets into the act,
  he informs the former boxing champion Kernagul that boxing skills (or
  frying skills, for that matter) avail very little when piloting a battleship.
  Though, he'd love to see Kernagul _try_ to float like a butterfly and sting
  like a bee...  Kusuha for her part is very pissed that Kernagul and his
  cronies wiped out Kenta's father's house, after the debt she owes him.

  Kernagul is worth a Booster.

Before your dudes can investigate the mysterious Goshogun, Savalas orders
Shingo to return to the Good Thunder over Remy's objections.  At least Remy
gets in her trademark "see you again".  Kosaku detects an unknown energy
emanating from the strange fortress, whose occupants don't seem to be the kind
to say "thank you" for the help in battle... The fortress has completed
connecting with the Beamlar, and begins its "long journey" with a
teleportation.  Your people've never seen this technology before, and Kusuha
wonders if Kenta was on the ship when it warped away...

Meanwhile, the Good Thunder has warped its way to Tibet.  Savalas explains to
Shingo that his father has died at the hands of the Docougar.  OVA vows to
stick by Kenta's side no matter where he goes - and that will be a long, long
journey. according to Savalas.  He then proceeds to introduce the Good Thunder
Team.  Conveniently, only these five people can fit aboard the Good Thunder
when it teleports, and Savalas says that until the day when those people trying
to steal the teleportation system are gone from this world, the crew's job is
to run.  Possibly forever.  Which would be a good idea to start now, except for
the small detail that after every warp the Good Thunder can't move for a while
since its teleportation system isn't perfected yet.  Moreover, the thing can't
even teleport outside a small range - this is why beta testing sucks.
Interestingly, Goshogun is more than just the knight that protects this
somewhat fragile mythical boat - its body houses a great secret.  Which Savalas
will reveal when the time is right.  Time for Kenta to go on the great journey
of his life.

At Docougar HQ, Neo Neros isn't pleased to hear of the failure of his
henchmen.
 Bundorl isn't impressed in the slightest, saying that he should have been sent
instead of those two, whose blood's circulation is variously too poor or too
good.  Bundorl is then entrusted with the recovery of the Beamlar and the Good
Thunder, which Jeter is ordered to find on the radar and offered the chance to
study if the thing is captured.  Neo Neros ponders what the alien attack,
surfacing of Orphan, and the Beamlar incidents could mean.  Whatever it is,
it's bound to be big...

  You get two Propellant Tanks, two Cartridges, and two Repair Kits.


Stage 3. Yuusha-Ou, Tanjou ("The Birth of the King of Heroes")

Pasdar calls forth the four Divine Emperors of Machinery... who are a rather
creepy-looking lot.  He informs them that a form of energy that can evolve
organic life has appeared - his people have got to Zondar-ize this planet
before that energy reaches fruition.  He offers his power to the weak-hearted
ones...

Elsewhere, the mere sight of Mikoto's smile is enough to make Hyouma and the
crew forget all their fatigue.  Hyouma's been searching for signs of
suspicious dudes in Kyuushuu, and while he hasn't found any there _have_ been
some nasty landslides in the Katouzan area, the result of earthquakes felt all
the way at G Island City.  These are either the prelude to a volcanic eruption,
or the work of the Reclaimers - not that it's _their_ fault so much as the
result of Orphan surfacing.  For that matter, it _could_ be the Mikeene or the
Kyouryuu Empire, who Tetsuya and Jun are investigating.  Unfortunately, since
they're under the command of Miwa at the Far East Branch, you're not likely to
hear about their findings unless it's something major.  Apparently Hyouma and
Miwa didn't get along well either, leading to Combattler V basically getting
chased out of the Far East Branch.  The more scholarly dudes debate why the
Mikeene were after Masada: surely, those robots.  Shishiou figures that the
technology that responded to the unknown energy they detected is comparable to
the G Stones.

In Tokyo, some serious sightseeing is going on... or _was_, until a bad
feeling strikes.  That would be occasioned by the Galleon beginning to move on
its own inside the hangar.  Apparently the Galleon wants to go outside - but
where? Facing the prospect of it simply wrecking the gate, the GGG personell
elect to open the door and let it out.  Hyuuga then calls in from the
aforementioned sightseeing trip with some startling footage: something much
like the thing that appeared two years ago.  That footage, taken from the crew
trapped atop the Tokyo Metropolitan Govt. Building, is of a giant monster made
out of garbage.  The fact that the kids are there sucks, since it means that
the GGG can't attack (what about the rest of the people in the building??)
There's only one person they can count on in this situation: Gai!  Gai's heard
the whole thing, and is eager to spring into action (and even has a full tank
of gas!) The kids love getting rescued by this cool-looking dude, whose plan is
to distract the encroaching robot while the kids flee.  The bad guy has an
electromagnetic cannon for measuring range - guess it's a "domestic particle
cannon" or something.  Just then Galleon shows up, having come to Gai's aide.
Unfortunately, the bad guy regenerated all the damage in about ten seconds
flat.  This bad guy is just like what happened two years ago, and has now been
named EI-02.  Shishiou tells his commander that there's a 99.9% chance of
fusion, but without any actual data to go on it's not absolutely guaranteed...
Taiga decides to try anyway, and gives his authorization.  Gai then fuses into
Gaigar, and tries to start wrecking.

  On round two, reinforcements show up just as Gai was starting to worry.  Your
  people are momentarily impressed by Gaigar's appearance, then wonder where
  this enemy made out of household appliances came from.  Kusuha wonders if
  someone is inside that thing.

  When you damage the Zondar Man enough, it regenerates again - the thing is
  apparently immortal, in addition to the Barrier it apparently has.

  On the next round, the signal comes from Gaigar that it's ready for Final
  Fusion... although the probability of that working is nearly zero.  Taiga
  figures that all it really takes is a bit of courage to make succeed - and
  a very nifty FMV is triggered: miraculously, Gaogaigar, the Hero King, is
  born.  Hyouma almost isn't sure what to think about a robot that's got a
  lion on its chest and a Shinkansen as its shoulders.  The kids at least
  figure they're safe, though Mamoru has gone off somewhere.  He is in fact
  watching the battle despite his fear, feeling a strange sense of obligation.

  When you take down the Zondar, it regenerates AGAIN, causing Gai to
  resort to drastic measures to defeat it.  He manages to pull out the
  monster's nucleus: apparently some creature not of this earth.  Unfortunately
  Gai's adrenal glands begin to overexert, making Gai come close to losing
  himself.  As things are about to boil over, Mamoru intervenes and yells out
  to Gai not to break what he's aiming at.  Kusuha feels something very
  peculiar, which might have something to do with the fact that Mamoru is
  glowing and floating through the air.  In fact, the "alien" turns out to be
  Kodamayama Kinzou, positively an Earthling.  Mamoru vanishes quickly from
  sight.  Taiga calls for Gaogaigar to be quickly recovered, leaving Kusuha
  to wonder who the boy with the strange powers was.  Unfortunately, now is
  not the time to relax, as the Good Thunder makes its reappearance.  Despite
  this apparently negating the whole point of going to the Himalayas, coming
  here was Father's decision.  Kusuha and Kenta wonder if each other are
  present (making Kusuha sneeze), but before they can make contact some unusual
  music starts playing: "Blue Danube", not a bad song but not one Shingo's
  heard before.  As Bundorl revels in the beautiful waltz music, the Goshogun
  folks sortie, even more beautiful than he expected.  He, Leonard Medici
  Bundorl, considers it his job to complete its beauty by wreathing it in
  flames.  Remy remains pleasantly not taken in by Bundorl's fine words, but
  Kouji just figures the guy has no sense of where he is.  Bundorl is even
  more impressed at the fusion of elegant style and archaic smiles found in
  the Ryuu-Jin-Ki, making Kusuha sneeze again and convincing her that she's
  come down with a cold.

  For a Skill Point, take down Bundorl (he runs at 3k HP).  The guy is some
  aristocratic fop, right down to his throwaway lines as he retreats.

Savalas has new orders for the Goshogun team - join GGG and leave behind
defense of the Good Thunder for now.  He tells them to take Kenta and OVA
along, despite their objections that this wasn't precisely what they were
hired for.  Apparently, this was part of the plan, though the plan has gotten
accelerated somewhat.  Savalas will contact them at a scheduled point later,
and asks them to look after Kenta until then.  Shingo leads the group in
accepting this odd babysitting assignment like the professionals they are, and
Kenta inwardly vows to keep proceeding on this journey his father wanted for
him.

  You get Kenta's Pocket Computer and OVA's Croquette.

Kiry confirms that they've been sent by their employer to work with the GGG,
rather than fighting evil for the sake of Justice(tm).  Remy doesn't think
that sounds so bad, and Shingo figures that the occasional fight to preserve
peace on Earth doesn't sound so bad.  The GGG people have looked into these
three's backgrounds, which all make them incapable of living normally in
society.  The good news is that they've got a sponsor who took them in...
though Shingo also has a personal grudge against Docougar.  Taiga decides to
accept their assistance.

Meanwhile, Gai has apparently recovered from the stress-induced low blood
pressure he had suffered.  Shiba opines that they shouldn't have sent Gai out:
there are too many unknowns about the G Stone embedded in his body.  Shishiou
figures that Shiba's words are quite reasonable - but to save Gai's life back
then, the G Stone was the only option.  He explains to Kusuha that Gai had been
a pilot for the Space Development Squad until two years ago, when the
experimental shuttle he was piloting crashed into a mysterious object.
Shishiou used cyborg technology to save Gai's life.  Apparently that object was
not of Arrowgater origin, but some other extraterrestrial intelligence:
codenamed EI-01.  It's not surprising Kusuha's never heard of it, since it was
kept top secret and the thing that Kusuha and the crew just tangled with is
only the second in the "series".  Apparently EI-01's whereabouts have been
unknown ever since it crashed in Yokohama.  That was the same time that they
were gifted with the Unlimited Seihou Circuit, the G Stone, as well as the
Galleon.  It seems that the Galleon came from space, and was the one who
brought Gai to the GGG near death.  The gleaming green G Stone not only
preserves Gai's life, but is the very power source for his cybernetics - an
unlimited one.  It also powers Gaogaigar... though the damage to Gai's body
from the fusion process is very hard to gauge.  Gai's in no condition to be up
and around, but he isn't in a mood to keep shoveling the job of protecting the
place to Hyouma and the others.  He wants to be of use to protecting people,
since his own life is effectively over already.  Gai's father Shishiou asks him
to be patient for now, saying that the day when he'll be of use to others will
come.  Reluctantly, Gai accedes.

It's interesting to note that the boy who calmed Gai's adrenaline had green
hair, just like the G Stone.  The boy's surely the key to this EI-02 business,
and Taiga wants Entouji to get the intelligence branch on the case.  Just then
Miwa contacts Taiga, asking after the mysterious enemy.  Miwa, hearing that GGG
has an investigation underway, decides to entrust both this new foe and the
Reclaimers to the GGG and Novus Noa.  Miwa also informs Taiga that the Taikuu
Maryuu will soon be ready to sortie, meaning that the Far East Branch's plans
to strike the subterranean foes are nearly ripe.  As a result, Miwa would like
Mazinger and Combattler V returned to him, though Taiga points out that the
GGG's own warpower is far from complete.  Miwa responds that by fighting so
many enemies on so many fronts, it'll be impossible to actually defeat any of
them - but gathering all the super robots to him will let him start by taking
out the underground foes first.  Taiga accedes politely to this, though Hyuuga
is more than fuming as soon as the somewhat snobby Miwa hangs up.  Taiga
explains that guys like Miwa require a certain amount of careful handling...
and that this isn't the time to start internecine power struggles.
 The good news is that Gaogaigar will be staying with the GGG, following the
letter of Miwa's directive to confront the EI and the Reclaimers.  Both
Shishiou and Taiga are hoping that Gaogaigar ends up working for Bright Noa or
for Professor Daimoji instead of for Miwa.

Elsewhere, Mamoru returns home to his joyful parents.  He doesn't let on his
momentary fear over the strange power within him...


Stage 4. Tobidate! Taikuu Maryuu Gaiking!

Kusuha is overjoyed to see that Kenta is okay.  He's more than a little
surprised to hear of Kusuha's exploits in the previous war.  Shingo and the
crew then introduce themselves to Kusuha with more of their usual witty
repartee, including a warning from Remy that her two male partners are real
lady-killers.  As Kenta happily hurries off to work on maintenance, the adults
ask Kusuha to keep looking out for Kenta; they don't want to come on as heavy-
handed in being his guardians.  The preparations Kenta was referring to were
for dispatch to the Taikuu Maryuu squad, which Remy is trying to hurry her
compatriots off to to avoid getting yelled at by the Far East brass.

Elsewhere, Juuzou mentions that Tsuwabuki Sanshirou the Red Sun has had to
withdraw to an injury: someone attacked him and compound-fractured his left
arm.  Recovery looks bleak.  It turns out that the Red Suns are a pro baseball
team, and Tsuwabuki is a famous pitcher with a demonic disappearing fastball.
Such a shame that his career appears over.  Taiga then comes to see them off,
thanking them with some impressiveness for all the help they've been to the
GGG.

At the Far East Base, Daimoji explains that the Taikuu Maryuu squad is nearly
ready for its first test flight.  He's even found a pilot for Gaiking, who is
headed to the base at this very moment.  Miwa is expecting big things from the
squad and its operation to destroy all the subterranean threats.  Daimoji is
still worried about the defense of the base itself, but Miwa curtly brushes his
concerns aside, saying his predecessor Gou focused too much on that aspect and
as a result failed to stop the enemy warpower on Earth.  Besides, the
Arrowgaters are toast and the giants are out in deep space - what's the worst
that could happen?  Daimoji tries to protest, saying that the Reclaimers are
still active, and even attacked the pilot for Gaiking that he selected.  The
disdainful Miwa is not to be persuaded, saying that between the Lond Bel in
space, the Preventers on Mars, and the Icarus Base in the asteroids, there's no
cause for concern...  Just then, Sakon announces that Tsuwabuki has arrived -
Daimoji tells him to introduce Tsuwabuki to the Taikuu Maryuu team for now.

Fang Lee is showing Sanshirou around the base, and Sanshirou is far from happy
to be here and not on the baseball diamond.  He angrily asks who the people
were who attacked him, and Daimoji steps in smoothly to answer.  Sanshirou is
curious to know the reason he's been called here, and Daimoji explains that the
people who attacked are thought to be lackeys for a new set of alien invaders.
Sanshirou had thought that all the aliens were wiped out in the last war, but
Daimoji explains that space is far vaster than that.  This squad was formed in
secret on the hunch that more invaders would be coming, and that hunch as
proved correct due to the indications of scout ships that intelligence has
caught.  Given that the people who took out Sanshirou's left arm had _wings_,
he realized they weren't mere humans, but... In fact, Sanshirou was not the
only "gifted" person who the aliens have attacked; Daimoji would like to put
Sanshirou's talents to use defending the Earth by having him pilot the special
mecha he's made.  Sanshirou agrees fairly readily to this, both out of a desire
for revenge and out of a desire to avoid more casualties like himself.
 Just as Daimoji had predicted.

The tour continues in the main control room, where Sanshirou gets to meet the
other members of the Taikuu Maryuu squad.  Introductions are going smoothly
until captain Pete Richardson comes up, who seems determined to treat the
former ace pitcher like a rookie.  Daimoji informs Sanshirou that he'll need
training before he can pilot Gaiking, and Pete challenges Sanshirou to live up
to his bravado and go ahead with trying to pilot the thing.  Daimoji decides
that hands-on experience may be the best way to train Sanshirou, and orders the
Taikuu Maryuu to launch - Gaiking will do a docking test as soon as it's
aloft.

After launch, Sanshirou is more than a little curious how Gaiking works.
Daimoji explains that Gaiking is composed of three parts: Part 1 being the
arms, Part 2 being the legs, and Part 3 being the torso.  Sanshirou is in the
head, which apparently will combine with the legs by remote control if
everything goes well.  Sanshirou is in charge of docking the head with the
arms, which depends on reading the instruments and getting the timing down.
Sanshirou hasn't felt this nervous since special training for baseball, but
he's determined to see the docking through.  Although it makes him sweat more
than a bit, he pulls it off without a snag - Pete seems happy that Sanshirou
isn't all rookie talk and no action.  Unfortunately, an atmospheric
irregularity chooses that moment to strike near Big Falcon.  It's lots and lots
of red machines that are clearly not of Arrowgater or subterranean origin.
They are in fact the recon craft from the aforementioned aliens, and Miwa is
flabbergasted that the bad guys slipped past all the defenses and caused the
exact scenario that Daimoji foretold.  Unfortunately, as the rest of the Taikuu
Maryuu launch, the Pollution Protect kicks in and prevents Sanshirou from
returning to base.  He hastily asks what Daimoji wants him to do - fight and
save the earth from the bad guys.  After a moment's hesitation and more
prodding from Pete, he gets down to business.

  For a skill point, take out ten enemies within two turns.

  After ten enemies go down or two turns elapse, reinforcements arrive.  Very
  late, according to the irritable Miwa.  After the usual banter, your
  people get busy protecting Big Falcon.

  One of the enemies has a Dual Sensor.

You've gotten lucky - the enemies only seemed to be watching you this time
around.  Pete cautions Sanshirou not to think all the enemies will be this
easily routed - now that they know of the Taikuu Maryuu, the enemy will surely
send stronger troops next time.  Daimoji plans to take your people directly
aboard and commence the main plan.  Kouji's grateful that he won't have to see
Miwa face to face, and Kusuha wonders if he's really that bad a guy.  He most
definitely is, according to Sayaka.  Unfortunately, you're not _quite_ out of
the woods yet... Kusuha senses something coming towards you, and what should
appear but the Ko-Ou-Ki.  Your people are still confused over this former ally,
and demand to know what it wants.  Its mysterious pilot says that it's here to
pick up a comrade, and as such has no plans to fight the rest of your people:
no reason to fight people with a common objective in mind.  Kouji has more than
enough reason to fight however, seeing that the Ko-Ou-Ki's pilot attacked
Kusuha and her machine, his comrades.  Camaraderie is in fact what brought this
guy here: returning his comrade and himself to their former form: the singular
Choukijin.  He explains to Kusuha that he attacked the Ryuu-Ou-Ki because it
refused its original purpose and refused to come to its rightful master.
Kusuha figures that Ryuu-Ou-Ki must have had some reason for not obeying, and
if that's so, she won't heed the Ko-Ou-Ki's summons either.  Looks like you'll
have to settle this by force.

  To win, reduce the Ko-Ou-Ki to less than 20,000 HP.  This should be a piece
  of cake.

The mystery pilot is impressed at your strength, figuring that his master
hasn't placed his hopes on you in vain.  He reminds you all that his objective
is the same as yours, and vanishes from sight.

Daimoji and your people make introductions.  This mothership is _huge_
considering it's docked all the super robots with room to spare... plus it's
got all the creature comforts.  Things get totally hilarious when Hyouma points
out how _similar_ certain characters sound to each other, including a
demonstration from Shingo.  The world of seiyuu is a small one indeed.  In any
event, it's time for a test of the ship.

Kusuha is worried about this "master" of the Choukijin, wondering what his
purposes may be... aren't the Choukijin supposed to defend the Earth?  As she
ponders the secrets the Choukijin hold, she's startled by Kenta.  He has only
one thing to say: mecha have hearts too! [Oh, how _sweet_. -_-]

Meanwhile, outside lunar orbit, some rather testy aliens are pondering the
destruction of their first wave.  The first one of them is quite disdainful of
the Earth's mecha forces, and the other agrees that it wasn't much of a fight
given it was merely an information-gathering mission.  In fact, their plan
seems to be to migrate to the Earth, which has just been confirmed as a
suitable homeland for them - just as Bergan said.  Even better, no interlopers
from other planets are on the scene.  Guess it's time to report back to His
Majesty, Emperor Darius and Olban, especially since those pesky folks from Barm
should be arriving at this solar system any time now...


Stage 5. Shinkai Kara no Raihousha ("Visitor from the Deep")

Sanshirou has been training hard, and Pete's been riding him even harder out of
concern for the squad's performance.... or maybe he's just a fan of one of the
Red Suns' rival teams ^^  In any event, Sanshirou vows to master his machine
soon, since times seem as dangerous as they've ever been since the Aegis
Project finished.

Meanwhile, Sakon and Pete are reporting in to Daimoji with results of all the
tests going on.  Pete is pessimistic about Sanshirou's ability to master his
mech in time for the coming showdown with the enemy, but Sakon believes
Sanshirou's learning is within forecast limits and that he should be ready.
Pete tries to contradict him to his face, calling it "optimistic" instead of
"forecast", but Sakon says that both his intuition _and_ the Taikuu Maryuu's
main computer concur on this one.  Pete grumbles that it's unlike the
analytical Sakon to trust to "intuition", to which Sakon replies that intuition
and inspiration are utterly indispensable to a scientist.  In fact, Sakon
believes that Pete has already recognized the potential within Sanshirou, which
is motivating his harsh training methods.  Pete won't directly contradict this
assessment.  Just then Novus Noa contacts the crew, wanting to come alongside.
Daimoji knows that Novus Noa is a ship created to counter the Reclaimers, and
like the GGG bypasses the military chain of command... then why would they
contact a military vessel like his?  Pete figures they're short of warpower and
want the Taikuu Maryuu's help, and didn't want the headache of going through
Miwa.  Sakon sees in this a good opportunity to learn more about Orphan, a
threat that this team can't afford to ignore.  Daimoji decides to take them up
on their offer.

Upon rendezvousing, commander Winston Gaybridge welcomes the team to the Novus
Noa and introduces Captain Anoir McCormick.  Gaybridge explains that Orphan is
a gigantic ruin sunken to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.  The so-called
Reclaimers are those scientists who entered it to study its contents.  Sakon
has heard that their aim is to bring Orphan back to the surface, which should
result in nothing other than a gigantic tidal wave.  Gaybridge is suitably
impressed with this question from the famous scientist - and in fact, bringing
Orphan to the surface is expected to eradicate all life on Earth.  That's
right, ALL.  This would be because Orphan absorbs "Organic Energy" from living
beings, according to the general scientific consensus.  The Federation
government and top military brass aren't buying it.  Thus, the Novus Noa's
mission is to keep an eye on the Reclaimers with its Brain Powerds, and prevent
Orphan's resurfacing.  This Orphan problem just moved itself right to the top
of Daimoji's list.  Unfortunately, an emergency transmission from Miwa makes
Daimoji hurry back to his ship.  Miwa is angrily and impatiently trying to get
the Taikuu Maryuu to return to base, and heatedly tells Daimoji to leave Orphan
up to Novus Noa and the GGG.  Daimoji counters that this is no time for a
pointless war of words, but Miwa only yells more, saying that he won't tolerate
military discipline being further disrupted as it was back in the days of Gou's
leadership.  In fact, the Mikeene are already sending advance units, and
Daimoji is about to return to Big Falcon when an emergency message comes from
the Novus Noa: a "Plate" has emerged from the ocean and is heading towards
Japan at high speed - in particular towards Masada's lab.  Sakon predicts that
Reclaimers will appear and pursue the Plate - and perhaps there's some
connection between the Plate and the subject of Masada's studies.  Daimoji,
realizing this is inevitable, prepares to sortie your dudes alongside the Novus
Noa's Brain Powerds, as Midori conveniently tunes Miwa out.

Yuu notes that the plate seems to have settled down finally.  Both of them had
a rough ride, but the objective is to collect all Plates, be they B or
otherwise.  Yuu asks if Kanan's devotion comes from a desire to be praised by
Orphan, and she replies that she's proud of her position as a Granger pilot.
Their conversation is interrupted by some people coming near the plate,
despite the supposed state of emergency after the Docougar incident.  Hime
demands to know why the Plate wants to come any closer with an apparent
disregard for things like how tiny she is compared to it.  She's heard of
"Revival" from watching TV, and wonders if an Antibody is about to be born from
the Plate as it begins to make noise.  The thing that emerges doesn't look like
the Granger units, but rather something else.  Apparently its eye looks gentle
to Hime, who goes right over and starts patting it and stuff.  And gets
inside.
 This might be unwise, but the Brain sends words into her head, asking what it
should do.  She responds by asking it what it wants to do - surely it must
have something in mind, something that motivated its birth.  Hime seems to
really enjoy encouraging this rather odd "infant", but Kanan reminds Yuu that
their job is now to destroy the newborn Brain Powerd since it's already
Revived.  Yuu starts berating whoever is riding the new Brain Powerd for
getting without knowing what they're doing, and tells her that she mustn't use
things like that.  And then attacks, which the Hime Brain deflects with its
Chakra Shield.  Kanan is amazed at this new living thing, since the Granger
machines are just soulless puppets.  Hime yells back at Kou: thanks to him,
this walking, flying newborn is all scared.  Just who does Yuu think he is?  A
Granger, the manifest will of Orphan.  Hime doesn't buy it, figuring that
Orphan is some ruin at the bottom of the sea, with a woman's face, that's gonna
wreck the world.  Yuu tells this talkative girl to shut up already, and with
reinforcements coming from the Granger this could get messy really fast.

  Hime can't attack, but she can keep parroting back to Yuu what the news
  media _doesn't_ know about what the Granger are up to.  The only reason Yuu
  can give for being "imprisoned" by the Granger is to express the will of
  Orphan.  Yuu is starting to wonder how Hime can control a newly-Revived
  Brain Powerd - it ought to be just an incomplete Antibody.  As Kanan wonders
  if Yuu is still suffering from "rejection", Hime's Brain tells her that
  something is coming: a LOT of Grangers.  It'd Edgar Brankan, who figures
  Yuu is disgracing the name of the Isami family with the trouble this single
  Brain is causing him.  Yuu yells back that this has nothing to do with his
  parents, and Edgar orders him to get out of the way so he can wipe this
  Brain out.  Just then, the good guys arrive, including a huge howling
  (mechanical) beast.  Daimoji orders the troops to help out Novus Noa and
  attack the Grangers.  Kusuha feels a very strange sensation from the Brain
  Powerd, and the other Novus Noa pilots want to know who the heck is piloting
  this newborn mech.  Apparently the Hime Brain is a bit worried about the
  Ryuu-Jin-Ki, which is faintly worried back.  The Novus Noa pilots call out
  to their newfound fellow (and ally, since she's not working with the
  Granger) to come with them if she cares for her machine - Hime figures she
  can trust these words right away.  Unfortunately, there's a certain girl who
  didn't run away in time - and it looks like it might be too late to save
  her.  Pete tells an impatient Sanshirou to think of a plan before charging
  in, and the Ryuu-Jin-Ki is reacting to her somehow.  Kusuha feels somehow
  that she's got to save that girl at all costs.  The rest of your people
  quickly realize that they've got to support Kusuha on this one.  Edgar
  could care less that there's a civilian in the way - when Orphan surfaces all
  weak life will die anyway.  Plus, Yuu certainly won't be able to explain to
  Quincy how he let a Brain escape and a Plate remain unrecovered.  Yuu, with
  little option, decides to attack your mothership in the hopes of making you
  withdraw.

  When you shoot down Yuu, he feels more of the "rejection" reaction and bails.
  Kanan figures she can't afford to lose her Granger here, and bails too when
  shot down.

  Edgar is worth a Magnetic Coating.

  Get Kusuha to the stray child within five more turns for a Skill Point.  You
  should not only be able to do that, but also to wipe out all the enemy units,
  within four more turns. ^_^

Unfortunately, as Kusuha gets near to the girl to rescue her, the girl becomes
terrified and begs her to stay away.  As Kusuha wonders if the girl is afraid
of the Ryuu-Jin-Ki, something psychic and strange passes between her and the
girl.  The girl, glassy-eyed, then says that she's been waiting for you all,
and that she'll come with you.  With the rescue complete, Daimoji orders all
your units recovered so he can withdraw back to the Novus Noa's position.

Hime seems to have digested the crew's explanation pretty fast [despite her
otherwise miswired personality O_o;;]  Gaybridge asks Hime to join the Novus
Noa's crew with her Brain Powerd, to help unlock the secrets of Orphan.
She'll get the chance not only to fight other Granger units, but also the
other enemies now threatening Japan and the rest of the world.  She agrees, and
Irene Carrier volunteers to look out for the kids with Hime in return (though
Anoir is a bit taken aback at the thought of having kids aboard her ship).

The plan is for the Taikuu Maryuu to escort the Novus Noa to the GGG, in part
to deflect criticism from Miwa.  The pilots don't object to that one bit.
Kusuha is worried about the girl she saved, who OVA brings in at that moment.
The girl has lost her memory, and no custodians are anywhere to be
found...just like Britto once was.  Hyouma is quick to volunteer your people to
look after the girl until her memory returns, noting that he knows what it
feels like to lose his parents and grow up in orphanage (so does Kiry, for that
matter).  As Kiry uncharacteristically offers to clear things w/ the leaders,
the girl reveals her name to be Irui (something she didn't remember even just a
moment ago).  She then smiles and haltingly thanks Kusuha for saving her.
Kusuha is left to ponder Irui's words of "waiting" for your people...


Stage 6. Sono Na wa Chouryuujin

Your dudes are marveling over their first close-up view of the Brain Powerds.
Hime explains that it felt warm and gentle the first time she got in the
cockpit.  She adds that it feels somehow like a child: one that responds when
she talks to it, and conveys its own feelings back to her.  In fact, the Brain
scares Boz by moving its figure, which Kouji figures can't happen since noone
is piloting it and it's not alive.  Kenta disagrees - this mecha is very much
alive, and even has a "heart".  Kosaku is inclined to believe this, given that
the official documents about the Antibodies refer to them as living machines -
not made in a factory, but "born" from the Plates during Revival.  Hyouma
enthusiastically calls upon Kosaku to explain further, which Kosaku protests
isn't really his role until Hime asks as well.  "Antibodies" refer generically
to the class of mecha like the Granger and Brain Powerd machines, which are
thought to exist to protect Orphan from external invasion.  The Orphan side
seems to regard Brain Powerds as defective Antibodies, and use their own
"Granger" Antibodies to fight them.  Further, the Plates are something like
Antibody eggs, and the process of birthing is called "Revival".  The problem is
that nobody seems to know whether a given plate holds a Brain Powerd or a
Granger, sort of like an unopened birthday present.  Hime's very glad that her
mech turned out to be a Brain.  The kiddies meanwhile are scurrying around and
making themselves useful "massaging" the Brain Powerds with deck-cleaning
brushes.  The Brains don't seem to be objecting.  Kenta and Kosaku decide to
help too, and pretty soon everyone gets into the act.

Elsewhere, the Amami parents are worrying about how unsafe their town has
become.  They're recalling an incident eight years ago where an Arctic lion
carried their son off - maybe it's back for him again?  As they contemplate
taking Mamoru and evacuating, Mamoru comes in ready to go to the Space
Development Squad for his out-of-class study day.  His father happily offers to
drop him off in his car, along with Mamoru's "girlfriend" Hana.  At the base,
Taiga happily greets Sakura, determined to have at least a pleasant morning
amidst all his problems...

The GGG are poring over the data on the EI-02's nucleus, who seems like a
totally ordinary guy.  A construction worker in Tokyo who's recently been
unemployed due to irregular attendance, which led to him becoming homeless and
living in a garbage dump.  Perhaps he was trying to destroy the Tokyo
government buildings out of revenge?  Swan tried to use regressive hypnosis to
look into his past, discovering four androids who told him "If you want
revenge, we'll grant you the power."  It's seeming clear that someone or
something amplified this man's hatred and turned him into the EI-02, and the
key lies with those four androids, and with the boy who returned Kinzou to
normal.  Just then, Swan detects a number of Docougar units in the skies near G
Island City - it looks like they're trying to beat the Taikuu Maryuu back in
the hopes of taking the GGG hostage while its defenses are still incomplete.
It would _really_ be best not to sortie Volfogg and Gai, though fortunately the
good guys are due to arrive in about a minute.  Taiga orders all personell and
civilians to head to shelters at once.  Hyuuga asks about scrambling the GS
Rides instead, but they're not up to their target power yet.  Maybe this is as
far as Earth technology can go in copying them.

Makoto is proudly explaining how his father works on plans for launching the
Space Shuttle in this building.  Unfortunately, the kids once again get caught
in the middle of the enemy attack.  Kuttner has ditched Kernagul and Bundorl
and plans to have the glory of obtaining the Beamlar all to himself.  The good
guys have made it in time, though, and start marveling at the stick-
toitiveness that the Docougar are applying to try to get this Beamlar stuff.
Jokes aside, Taiga asks you to hold the battle back from the central GGG
building, where evacuation is still underway.

  Take Kuttner down for a Skill Point; he flees at 5000 HP.

  On round 2, the kids are still stuck in line filing into the shelters.
  Reiko isn't worried, figuring that the noble Gai will come and drive off
  all the enemies.  Makoto's intuition tells him that something very bad is
  coming, just like the last time.  In fact, more bad guys appear and start
  trashing the city on purpose, since Kuttner knows you hate him doing so.
  He says that he will stop at everything to obtain his objectives, which goes
  to show that either his grasp of tactics or of the Japanese language is
  sorely lacking ^_^  As your people struggle to divide forces and counter
  this second threat, Makoto shouts out in fury at the bad guys, which causes
  Irui to suddenly take notice.  Something is happening to the Hyouryuu and
  Enryuu in their hangar: they're outputting a massive amount of energy.
  Taiga realizes that this is his chance, and orders them launched.  Hyouryuu
  questions Enryuu's actions on analytical grounds, and Enryuu says that
  calculations mean nothing in the face of fighting spirit.  Hyouryuu finds this
  a highly illogical statement coming from an AI, and wonders if Enryuu is
  broken, until Enryuu points out that they're twin AI's, and that if he's
  broken he's not the only one.  Apparently their AIs are advanced enough to
  quarrel like real human brothers, but Taiga stops it by asking them what
  their purpose is: to protect peace for humanity!  Looks like there's no real
  problems after all.

  If Kuttner fights Sanshirou, he'll allow him the chance to be taken prison
  with his life guaranteed, in recognition of his promising baseball career.
  Kuttner is quite outraged that Sanshirou has never heard of him, and
  Sanshirou spits back that he'll do some research after he's killed Kuttner
  dead.

  Kuttner is worth a Kuttneriser.

  Unfortunately, you're not out of the woods yet - after Kuttner and his men
  withdraw, Makoto senses something weird.  Penchinon figures that all the
  obstacles are now gone, and Makoto figures he's got to hurry off to
  somewhere.  You're now facing a Tanker Monster, and all the Brain Powerds are
  somehow afraid of it.  Hime somehow knows that it's not an Organic Machine,
  and Entouji concludes that it's more or less the same as the previous beast.
  This means that there's another human inside it, and Gaigar suddenly pops
  out to try to save that person with Heaven and Hell (despite the strain it
  will put on his body).  Entouji calculates that there's only a 30% chance of
  Final Fusion under these circumstances - and if it fails Gai and all the
  other machinery will be blown completely away.  Taiga, agreeing with Gai that
  there's no time, decides to entrust everything to him and authorizes Final
  Fusion.  This works, and the Ryuu brothers are glad to see their captain in
  one piece.  Penchinon seems mildly surprised to see the relic of Cain before
  him, but is sure that it won't win this time.  Gai plans on breaking out the
  person inside this EI, and really hopes that the boy from before will appear
  to seal the deal.

  Your victory condition is to take down the monster with Hell and Heaven.

  After your first attack, something very unpleasant becomes clear: the
  monster really is an oil tanker, and should the petroleum inside it be
  ignited everything within a twenty kilometer radius will be obliterated.
  [It must be nuclear petroleum then -_-;;;;]  Penchinon thinks he's one, but
  Taiga thinks that this may be the time for the Dividing Driver, aka the
  Eraserhead.  Unfortunately, for that to work the Ryuu brothers need a
  Sympa-rate over 100.  Gai tells everyone to stand back while he pushes the
  monster to the bottom of the sea before Hell and Heavening it.  The bad news
  is that Gai will be defenseless, and even if the armor holds the shockwave
  will kill him.  Despite pleas from everyone else, Gai figures there's no time
  to wait - he'll throw the core as high as he can once he's wrenched it free.
  The Ryuu brothers, speaking in unison, declare they're not programmed to
  take that kind of orders, and their Sympa-rate reaches 100.  Taiga has them
  perform Symmetrical Docking, creating the Chouryuujin!  Your people are
  once again flabbergasted by all the neato tricks the GGG mecha can perform.
  Shishiou tells Gai to leave the explosion up to the Chouryuujin, and to
  concentrate on pulling out the nucleus.

  The EI-07 is worth a Screw Module.

Once you execute Gai's attack, Hyuuga calls for the Eraserhead to be sent to
the Chouryuujin, a phenomenal weapon that seems to erase the enemy and the
explosion right off the map.  What it actually did is send the blast outside
the atmosphere, and happily it hasn't damaged anything in space.  Not only is
this the birth of a new hero, but also a good indication of how accurate GGG's
math is not to accidentally beam that blast at something by accident.  What
amazing advance planning, a lesson Kiry figures his leader could learn from.
As the brothers try to apologize for breaking orders, Gai won't hear of it - he
thanks them for their help and says that they're the greatest AIs in the
world.
 However, he's about at his limit - and fortunately a certain glowing boy shows
up to finish the job, a boy which Irui somehow recognizes.  The Brains seem to
like the boy, and miraculously Gai's condition stabilizes - something beyond
the reach of human technology.  The boy vanishes without revealing his name,
but the day is saved anyway.

Miwa miraculously decides to leave the Taikuu Maryuu in the GGG's hands, even
giving Taiga temporary command authority in the event of an enemy attack.  It
seems that Miwa likes having the Docougar and EI's attention focused on the GGG
and away from him, though it is a great help to the GGG having the additional
troops around anyway.  Gai's _still_ unstable, and it'd be best not to sortie
the Gaogaigar for a while.  The green-haired boy is still a mystery, and
Entouji wonders if the Ryuu brothers synchrony was also thanks to him.
Shishiou has read secret intelligence that places the boy near the scene, but
realizes that even if they brought him in it's unclear what the boy would do
next - would he or would he not help humanity out?

Penchinon has learned that the Antibodies issuing forth from Orphan are indeed
a type of mechanical life... but that they're organic.  Primada is hardly
impressed, but Penchinon points out that the large amount of Organic Energy
within them could be useful.  Pasdar decides to leave them alone for the time
being, though he eventually plans to put them to use for their plans.  Those
plans amount to making this blue planet a world of machines.

Elsewhere, Gallery is addressing his emperor Goll, who got smacked around by
Getter and Mazinger and the crew back when.  Bat managed to carry his body back
to Machineland, and Gallery deployed the full scientific might of the Kyouryuu
to bring him back to life.  Goll realizes he must revive, so he can wipe out
the monkeys and return control of the Earth to the reptiles.  Goll arises to
massive cheering.  They report to him that after deflecting the gravity
shockwave, the monkeys have increased their warpower and are laying plans to
wipe out the subterraneans, led by a new Getter Robo.  Of course, the Taikuu
Maryuu is also involved with the plan, so Goll orders his men to test its
power.  Zanki asks that this task be given to him, and is quite positive he
will not only test it but wipe it out entirely.  Bat tells the youngster not
not to get carried away, but Goll agrees to give Zanki the Megazaurus Zen #1.
Zanki figures if he does a good job here he can even supplant Bat in the
pecking order...


Stage 7. Hikari wo Motomete ("Seek the Light")

Yuu doubts anyone remembers it's his birthday.  He wonders what kind of girl
that Utsunomiya Hime person is, and mulls over how he's just turned seventeen.
Kanan probably won't like what he's about to do...  Elsewhere, Isami Kensaku
suspects a connection between Orphan becoming more active and "that energy":
the stuff that Gavanar called "Beamlar".  Kensaku suspects that Beamlar is
something different from Organic Energy, and figures that whatever it is will
bear investigation sooner or later... before things on the surface get any more
chaotic.  Apparently Orphan has been affected by a number of things in the last
war, including the giant Jupiterian Psycommu device that fell into the sea near
Japan, and the Vital Globe discovered back then.

Just then Yuu comes in with a gun, demanding to know whether all of mankind
will die of Orphan surfaces.  His mother points out that he's been a Reclaimer
for seven years working for that resurfacing, and he snaps back that both his
mind and body are in anguish from trying to conform to his Granger in order to
become an Antibody.  He's more than a little pissed at how his mother and
sisters are little more than antibodies for Orphan as a result of his father's
research.  Just then Quincy, who would like to claim that she's not one of the
Isami kids, breaks in and starts shooting at Yuu for his betrayal.  Yuu takes
the opportunity to flee, leaving the parents to wonder if this is the will of
Orphan.

Yuu has a chat with his Brain, which he figures wants to see the sunlight as
much as he does.  Yuu knows very well that his Brain doesn't like being in
Orphan, and urges it to flee with him before they both get made into gold
plated statues in this, the garbage bin for Brain Powerds.  Yuu makes good his
escape...

Meanwhile, the kiddies are struggling to pry loose a bit of extra cake from the
robots trying to ride herd on them.  It takes some of your other dudes to step
in and start the chastising.  Sanshirou is inclined to go easy on them, and
even offers to teach them how to play baseball (though he warns them that
practice is pretty rough).  Kusuha is impressed by his facility w/ kids, but
the mood is suddenly dampened by Irui saying that _something_ (she doesn't know
what) is coming.  That thing is of course Yuu fleeing Orphan for the Novus Noa
in his Brain Powerd.  Since IFF is rather confused by this, Daimoji orders
everyone sortied to be on the safe side.  Yuu realizes that this Brain suits
him, and that the stuff his dad and friends are up to is wrong.  Your people
all hurry out onto the battlefield, all wondering where this unfamiliar Brain
is from.  Taiga countermands Hyuuga's orders to hastily disarm the thing,
opening a channel to Yuu.  Yuu, no great diplomat, demands that he hand all
research data regarding the B Plate the GGG has...and he knows who Taiga is by
name.  Yuu knows a great many things about the Novus Noa and the GGG it seems,
which makes sense given that he's a Reclaimer.  Hime meanwhile is sure she's
met this guy before, and hurries over to talk to him.  But, why would a
Reclaimer be piloting the very Brain Powerd they're supposed to be trying to
destroy?  Just then Shiela leads a squad of Reclaimers in pursuit of Yuu, with
Kanan ordered to support her.  Yuu had already told Shiela his viewpoint on
things, but she has no interest in joining him in defecting, nor does Kanan for
that matter.  Since the city is about to get trashed again, Taiga has no choice
but to try to repulse the Reclaimers.

  On round two, Kanan demands to know why Yuu didn't consult her first.  Yuu
  _did_ consult her, but says that she was too self-absorbed to listen... ever
  since she met the Brain Powerd way back then.  He tells her that she'll never
  be happy in Orphan, to which she says that she merely doesn't want to regret
  being born.  Typical Tomino BS.  Yuu says that's all the more reason to
  leave Orphan, but Shiela figures that Kanan shouldn't listen to someone
  tainted by a Brain Powerd.  Yuu figures that Kanan is all obsessed with the
  fact that nobody loves her, and Kanan hotly states that nobody loved her
  even before she was born.  Yuu then comes up with a daring (read: ludicrous)
  plan and grabs onto Hime, holding her tightly to him.  Shiela figures on
  killing the two of them together like that, but Yuu has other ideas: the
  Chakra Extension Shot!  Everyone is minorly dumbfounded by this expression
  of the Brains' Chakra Wave Motion power.

  Kanan is worth a Dual Sensor.  Yuu thinks that she shouldn't be going back
  to Orphan, but with him.  Shiela is worth a Magnetic Coating.

  On the following round, Zanki and his stooges show up.  This is most
  upsetting since the Kyouryuu Empire was supposed to have died out with Goll
  during the Balmar War.  Guess some of them survived, and your people are all
  clued in enough to realize they'll have to take out Goll again at some
  point.

  Zanki will talk all kinds of trash while fighting with your dudes and
  trying to gather data about the Taikuu Maryuu.  He's worth a Chobham Armor.

  Unfortunately, after brushing off Zanki's reconnaissance raid, it's time for
  a second wave of Reclaimers, led by Jonathan and Edgar.  Jonathan is amazed
  that Yuu's done this much damage to his forces with such an unstable
  Antibody, and Yuu warns that fighting him won't accomplish anything.  It
  seems that Jonathan has bought into the "Orphan is mankind's future"
  propaganda a bit more deeply than Yuu had, saying that mankind's DNA will
  live on within Orphan and the Grangers even if the rest of humanity is
  wiped out.  Edgar plans on killing you all here anyway, but Irui gets a
  premonition of something terrible about to happen and screams out for
  everyone to run away.

  For a skill point, you must kill Jonathan within nine turns of this point.

  Edgar is worth a Booster.

  He's worth an Organic Bit, and is MOST surprised that the Brain Powerds
  can use Sword Extension.  When Yuu cuts his hand, he goes somewhat berserk.
  Yuu tells him to go and tell his parents and sisters that they're not on the
  side of justice by staying with Orphan, and Yuu will personally see to it
  that they don't use Orphan to kill off humanity or to reduce the Earth to a
  planet of death.  Apparently Jonathan must be rather "hard of hearing", since
  Yuu tells him to pass his message along several times in a row... at least
  he's smart enough to realize when Yuu leaves him alive to be his messenger
  boy.  Any remaining Granger units will withdraw at this point.

Your people notice that all these enemies seemed very quick to run away - they
may have had some ulterior motive...  Meanwhile, there's still whatever caused
that earthquake to run away from.  Or more precisely, there's a TIDAL WAVE to
run away from, which will be here in 320 seconds and which you can _not_
evacuate all the civilians from.  Taiga will not give up even at this: he
orders the emergency alarms to be sounded, and has the Taikuu Maryuu head to
the beach to try to weaken the tidal wave even if only a little.  All the other
mecha scurry to get picked up, and things are looking pretty grim - but Pete
won't give up either, and orders all the mecha with barriers or anything that
can be used as a wall to get in front.  This gives Yuu an idea about what to do
with his Chakra Shield.  He asks Hime and all the other mecha with shields or
just simply size on their side to help him.  As people begin to see the plan,
Shishiou asks for authorization to use the Eraserhead, planning to send all the
water into the space the moment it hits your barrier.  This example of
extremely quick thinking works perfectly, and everyone is quick to thank the
Brain Powerds.  But when Hime asks to see Yuu's face, he up and kisses her.
She's outraged for about a millisecond or so, then somehow takes it as a
compliment to her Brain Powerd [@_@;;;]  The Goshogun team figure they'd better
do more so as to not get left behind, and take _some_ comfort in the fact that
youth isn't everything in these matters.

Meanwhile, Quincy is demanding that Orphan's defensive squads be strengthened
against Yuu's guaranteed revealing of Orphan's weak points.  Kensaku doesn't
see the point, since all the power on Earth won't matter once Orphan surfaces.
Quincy repeats that Yuu knows all of Orphan's weaknesses, and her father
demands to know if she intends to defeat her own brother.  She retorts that all
outliers must be eliminated - after all, what would happen if he got his hands
on a B Plate?!  Kensaku sternly reminds her that the powers and even existence
of B Plates are still merely theoretical.  As Quincy once again tries to remind
her father of her name change, Jonathan thinks that someone is going to have to
prove to the Isami family that Orphan isn't their personal property... But if
he's to have his revenge on Yuu, the Orphan's defensive squad _will_ need to be
fortified.  Kanan meanwhile figures that if Yuu won't come back to Orphan,
she'll just...

Yuu passes his medical exam - apparently even his DNA hasn't been altered.
Komodo knows that he's from the same family that's pulling the strings of
Orphan, but Anoir insists on doing the questioning.  She tells Yuu that she
doesn't completely trust him (he's not surprised), and asks why he betrayed the
Reclaimers.  He responds that, as that tidal wave proves, Orphan is beginning
to surface - and the Novus Noa's crew should know what it would mean if the
thing surfaces entirely.  Yuu perceives that the Novus Noa isn't yet capable of
opposing the Reclaimers by itself (hence its alliance with the GGG and the
Federation Army) - the Reclaimers have a _lot_ of information about the good
guys.  Irene wonders inwardly if there's a leak somewhere...  When Komodo
questions what good Yuu and his single Brain are to stopping Orphan, he tells
her that the Novus Noa is basically a life boat: insignificant next to Orphan,
which is in fact a galactic Ark.

The GGG folks are impressed by the capabilities of the Brain Powerds, realizing
that they need to totally recollate all their data about them.  Hyuuga is glad
that Isami Yuu has decided to help the good guys, and Shishiou figures that
Hime's magnetic personality may be to thank.  He also says that the Ryuu
brothers need some adjustments to make their Symmetrical Docking even better.
Taiga tells him to get on it right away.

Gaybridge informs Daimoji that he's sending him the Brain Powerd squad,
including Yuu - the reason being that the Novus Noa itself is more built for
reconnaissance than actually _stopping_ the Reclaimers.  He figures that the
Reclaimers probably won't attack the Novus Noa itself for a while, so the loss
of warpower shouldn't pose a problem - Daimoji wonders how Gaybridge can come
to that conclusion.  Kouji meanwhile is pondering the Kyouryuu...  the fact
that they've reemerged in _this_ age means that the future has been altered!
What happened to all your friends in that other time [see Alpha Gaiden for the
story of who those friends are...]  Sakon, who's read reports of your people's
trip to the future, figures that they should be okay.  One theory has it that
the flow of time has infinitely many points of divergence - and one of those
points separates the future your people went to from this timeline, in which
the Aegis Project succeeded.  In essence, they're living on in a different time
stream... Sakon hopes.  Even the possibility that they're still okay, and that
all you did for them hasn't been for naught, is enough to make Kouji and Sayaka
feel better.  Sakon realizes, however, that now _nobody_ knows what the new
future will be like in this timeline...

Bat meanwhile is berating Zanki for running his mouth, losing Zen #1, and then
crawling back home.  Zanki figures he's fulfilled Goll's orders to the letter,
having collected plenty of data about the Taikuu Maryuu.  And he doesn't see
the Zen #1 as any great loss, seeing that Gallery focused on its anti-aircraft
capabilities.  Gallery demands to know if Zanki is complaining about his mecha
- Zanki says that he certainly is and that if he were in charge, Zen #1 would
be focused on terrestrial combat.  With such a machine, Zanki plans to attack
the Photon Power Lab and wipe out Getter Robo in short order - he figures that
terrestrial combat is the best way of eliminating the Kyouryuu's arch-foe.  Bat
reminds him that Getter is capable of combat on land, air, and sea - sticking
to the ground won't work.  Zanki smugly tells his uncle that he's got a plan
that'll work perfectly.  Goll finds this interesting, and tells Zanki to try
his little plan out, promising to elevate him from captain to his personal
staff should he succeed.  As Gallery wonders if Zanki is trying to show him up,
Zanki has a request for him - he'd like to borrow one of Gallery's Neji high
performance time bombs: the Zero.  The idea is to use it on the inhabitants of
the Photon Power Lab, and Goll commands Gallery to comply.  Zanki is pretty
sure he knows what he's doing...


Stage 8. Mou Hitotsu no Getter Robo

At an unknown location in Japan, the Getter team are trying to enjoy the nice
weather.  Benkei would like to be taking part in the fighting, but Getter is
being adjusted right now and Shin Getter is Somewhere Else(tm).  Hayato and
Musashi figure that they'd may as well relax while they can, since things are
sure to get quite busy soon enough.  Apparently that Somewhere Else is the Kami
Heavy Industries Consolidated Getter Research Lab, somewhere that Hayato may or
may not have connections to.  Interestingly, today is the day when Hayato's
sister is coming back to the lab from study abroad (and she's somewhat late).
Just then an old man (and not Hayato's sister) shows up, demanding passage from
the Getter folks.  Musashi isn't just going to let him pass, but the old man
easily avoids Musashi's attempt to throw him.

Elsewhere, Kouji is relaying news of the Kyouryuu to the lab.  Saotome notes
that this is sooner than expected, and agrees with Ryouma that final testing of
Getter must be hastened to let them join up with the Taikuu Maryuu squad.
There shouldn't be any complaints from the Far East Branch, who already have
their hands full trying to beat back the subterranean menace...and since Miwa
seemingly doesn't care about Shin Getter.  Saotome really hopes that you don't
have to use Shin Getter against the Kyouryuu, since it's power still far
exceeds your control - which is why it's been sealed away at a DIFFERENT
location.  Fortunately, the improvements made to Getter-1 should be more than
adequate to face the current troubles.  Those modifications had been made at
the Kami lab, and the upgraded Getter should be dropped off at any moment...
Saotome muses over the Far East Branch's failure to pinpoint the location of
Machineland, which Ryouma figures only someone of Tetsuya's caliber could
manage.  In any event, _this_ time the score must be settled with the Mikeene
and the Kyouryuu once and for all.

In fact, the guest come to meet Ryouma is none other than his father,
Ryousaku.
 As indicated in the letter he sent, Ryou's mother is sick, and his father
tells him to return immediately to Kyuushuu to help out with the school.
 He's even taken the liberty of filling in all the school transfer paperwork
for Ryou.  Ryou is in fact worried about his mother, and believes he should
return for a while, but says that he can't at the moment.  He hesitates to tell
his father what he's actually been up to all this time at the lab instead of
attending to his studies.  This man, a teacher and kendou master, is clearly
not someone to be trifled with.  Fortunately, Saotome plans to try to persuade
Ryou's father, noting that things would be _bad_ without a pilot for the
Dragon.  He informs Hayato that his sister has arrived.

The two are glad to see each other, though things quickly turn sour when the
subject of their father comes up.  Asuka intuits that Hayato hasn't forgiven
their father for "causing their mother's death", without dying himself.  She
points out to Hayato that their father too is exerting himself to the fullest
with his work on Getter research for the sake of world peace.  After a pause,
Hayato tells his sister that he expects to have to leave in a day or so, but
asks her to stay in the meantime.

Saotome is showing Getter Robo to Ryousaku, explaining that Ryou has become its
fabulous pilot.  It appears that Ryousaku has grasped the value of Saotome's
work, telling him to keep up the good work defending the world while he
continues working with the children.  Unfortunately, he still wants to take
Ryou home with him, saying that Ryou should leave the rest up to all the
wonderful people working at this lab.  He tells the flabbergasted Saotome that
raising the next generation is every bit as important as defending the world -
and he wants to teach the importance of teachers to Ryou.  He informs Saotome
that he'll take his son home by any means necessary...

Unfortunately, it seems that Asuka is under Zanki's thrall.  He tells her to go
to the Photon Power Lab and plant two of the Zero timebombs: one on Getter Robo
and one the lab itself.  After all, that's why Zanki captured her...

Ryou has in fact gotten carted off by his father.  Saotome hadn't expected the
old man to be so stubborn, and figures that convincing him will take time...
plus there's the matter of Ryou's ill mother to consider.  Hayato is confident
Ryou will be back in short order.  In the meantime, the three remaining Getter
pilots will just have to pilot Getter Dragon.  And in fact they'll have to do
so right now, since a bunch of Megazauruses are on the inbounds.  Saotome
orders the tests going on to be scrubbed and has the three of them launch.

Hayato hasn't seen these bozos in a while, though Zanki announces himself as
the Kyouryuu Empire's Amazing Guy.  Given that all the enemies are ground-
based, Hayato has decided to keep Getter in Raigar mode... which is also good
since Musashi isn't used to piloting Dragon mode.  Zanki figures that you're
playing right into his strategy, which Hayato is surprised to learn a mere
lizard could even concoct.  Zanki recognizes Asuka's brother (startling
Hayato), and tells him that he's about to lose the ability to run his big
mouth.  Just then Hayato's machine blows up, followed in short order by the
laboratory itself.  Ryou sees the blast, and stands up to his father's
insistence that he no longer has anything to do with the people of the lab.
He tells his father that while studying is important, without peace the
children won't even be able to study properly.  Ryou figures that creating such
a world is his duty!  Just then the transport plane comes in, landing
nearby...

Michiru can't contact the lab, and a shaken Hayato reports that Raigar can no
longer transform.  Zanki asks Hayato how he likes the taste of his sister's
bombs, and gleefully recounts how he hypnotized Asuka to do the deed.
Furthermore, he explains that he chose terrestrial machines to attack with so
that Raigar would be the form that emerged, and got stuck - Raigar, the
weakest Getter form in terms of attack power.  This means easy pickings for Zen
#2.  Or not, according to Hayato, figuring that this is about the best strategy
a lizard could concoct.  He says that Zanki should have just blown Raigar
completely away with the Zeros, but Zanki counters that his victory will be
even more complete if he can bring back Hayato's head intact.  Time to prove
how fatal that kind of greed can be.

  Take down Zanki within six turns for a Skill Point.

  Zanki tells Hayato that he can't win against the overwhelming numbers facing
  him, and tells him to just stick out his head to be cut off already.  Hayato
  tries to tell the others to get off, so that in case something happens to him
  they can reform the Getter Team with Ryou, but neither of the others are
  willing to abandon their teammate.  Ryou figures that that's the spirit, and
  shows up in Black Getter, newly back from Hayato's father making
  modifications to it.

  When Ryou fights Zanki, he vows to demonstrate to both him and his father how
  important it is to fight to save the world.  The cavalry arrives the
  following round.  Zanki figures this is a chance for even greater glory for
  him, but Kouji points out that all that'll actually happen is that he's about
  to get demoted.  Among other things, the Combattler crew notice that the Zen
  #2 has been deliberately modified so that it can't fly - what kind of idiot
  would do that?

  Zanki is worth a Solar Panel.  He vows to not give up, even as he turns tail
  and flees.

Saotome is, happily, unharmed even though the lab took quite a beating.  If
this mess has a silver lining, it's in the fact that there were few wounded,
and that Shin Getter isn't in the area.  Unfortunately, Raigar isn't likely to
be fixable any time soon.  Asuka tries to apologize for this, but Hayato
smiles and tells her that it's not her fault.  Saotome sets about contacting
Kami, both to thank him for his work on Black Getter and in the hopes of
keeping Asuka here for a while.  The bad news is that the Getter Team now
can't rendezvous with the Taikuu Maryuu squad, but the good news is that Ryou
and Black Getter can.  He's sure that his father will understand if he doesn't
return to Kyuushuu for a while.  Said father is already gone, having left Ryou
a letter.  In it, his father writes that he left early rather than face the
prospect of a shouting match.  He tells Ryou that he'll look after Ryou's
mother, and instructs Ryou to travel the path he believes is right.  Ryou vows
to return home after fighting alongside his comrades of the Taikuu Maryuu
squad...

Zanki still harbors dreams of grandeur, even after all the disgrace he's
brought upon himself.  Over Bat's objections, Goll decides to let Zanki off the
hook this time for at least badly damaging the Saotome lab.  Bat reports that
things are proceeding smoothly for setting up a forward base beneath Japan, and
Goll orders Radora to lure the Taikuu Maryuu there and wipe them out,
sacrificing the base itself if need be.  Goll tells him that if he succeeds,
he'll receive glory - and if he fails, he'll be executed.

  You get a Propellant Tank, a Cartridge, and a Repair Kit.


Stage 9. Kodai no Onryou ("Ancient Ghosts")

Sakon is explaining that the Taikuu Maryuu is designed to be the ultimate
battleship for fighting the subterranean and alien bad guys.  It's got nuclear
power as well as Photon Power and Ultramagnetic drive - it's capable of every
sort of transportation, combat, and sublight travel.  Ryou wonders why it looks
somewhat like a Megazaurus, as Musashi thought when he first saw it.  Sakon
hadn't thought of that, and Sanshirou figures that its form is probably a ploy
by Daimoji to strike fear into the hearts of opponents.  In any event, given
that the Far East has so many different, unique mecha, the Taikuu Maryuu was
designed to be able to carry them all.  Clearly, ships like the Ral Kairam
(designed for Mobile Suit use) wouldn't fill the bill, and a certain ship with
an entire city inside is now somewhere far out in space.  More surprising yet
is Orphan, itself supposedly a spaceship roughly the size of Shizuoka
Prefecture [equal to the 2.5th smallest state in the U.S.].  Yuu walks in on
 the conversation and says that it's Organic Energy that lets something that
enormous fly.  This is energy that comes from living beings, and Orphan itself
could be said to be alive: it can eliminate pathogens, and there are fish that
it eats as food.  It is, in effect, a living Machineland... and also the
greatest threat to life on Earth right not, not the Subterraneans or alien
invaders.  Ever since it landed, the Earth was fated according to Yuu to become
a dead planet, all its Organic Energy used up.  The problem is that it's not a
simple matter of wrecking Orphan: even the Reclaimers have no idea what might
happen as a result.  Sakon appreciates this abrupt speech of Yuu's for what it
is: a warning not to fight with the Reclaimers unawares...

Just then an emergency transmission comes in from Great Mazinger.  He seems to
have found the bait about the Kyouryuu Base being built beneath Kyuushuu, and
thought to warn Daimoji before informing Miwa.  Daimoji intends to hurry to
the scene, and Tetsuya figures that he and Jun will wipe out the bad guys
before Daimoji even arrives.  Daimoji yells at him to wait, but Tetsuya isn't
to be dissuaded.  Pete is not impressed with the ability of Lond Bel members
to follow orders, and the Taikuu Maryuu rushes to the scene...

Radora is glad to see your guys showing up right on schedule, and an underling
tells him that the timer has been set.  Tetsuya isn't surprised to see this
big ass base here, since the Kyouryuu have had some time since their previous
defeat to build.  Of course, he plans to wreck the whole thing now that he's
found it.

  On round 1.5, Radora urges your dudes to show up and give their lives for his
  glory.  However, the newcomers who appear aren't the Taikuu Maryuu!  Mimashi
  notes that quite a few different people have popped up during his people's
  slumber.  And apparently have the temerity to invade their holy precincts.
  Mimashi decides to test your people's strength before reporting this to
  Empress Himika.  Radora tells his underlings to focus on the Taikuu Maryuu -
  there's no call to cross swords with these newcomers, especially since all of
  them will get immersed in magma anyway.  Tetsuya figures he can't turn tail
  now, and plans to take _all_ the bad guys on.  Mimashi tells him to bring it
  on, and to burn the name Great Jama Empire into his heart.

  For a Skill Point, you must make the Genma Yousai Yamato-no-Orochi retreat
  within four turns (by reducing it to 7000 or less).

  Your dudes show up on turn two, not really able to blame Tetsuya for wanting
  to get started on this fight early (especially in the interest of keeping Miwa
  out of it).  Mimashi recognizes the Choukijin, and various members of your
  dudes ponder what this new, ancient subterranean foe might portend.

  It turns out that these are indeed the folks behind all the earthquakes
  happening lately: they're the proof of the revival of Empress Himika.  They
  also claim that they want to take the world back from the humans, and return
  it to being their homeland.

  By excellent play, you can _shoot_down_ the Yamato-no-Orochi instead of just
  repulsing it - it's worth a Magnetic Coating and the warm fuzzy feeling that
  comes eviscerating your worst high school enemy in front of the entire school
  _and_ avoiding prosecution on a plausible self-defense plea.  Mimashi will
  be, in a word, *peeved*.  In any case, you can't pursue him as he runs away -
  taking out the Kyouryuu base comes first.

  Radora is worth a Hybrid Armor.  He tells you however that he won't simply go
  down in defeat - why do you all think he lured you here?  Looks like Radora
  has found glory in death: the "two choices in one" that Goll offered him.
  That is unless you had Ryou deal the final blow, in which case Radora is
  _prepared_ to give his life, but Ryou lets him (more like yells at him to)
  go.  Either way, geysers of magma begin to fountain up - everyone now has
  four turns to exit the map.  Kiry asks Shingo to hurry - he really doesn't
  feel like becoming fried chicken here.

  LET ME REPEAT: YOU HAVE FOUR TURNS TO REACH THE EDGE OF THE MAP FROM RADORA'S
  DEATH.  MAKE SURE YOUR SLOW UNITS AREN'T STRANDED UNLESS YOU RELISH REPLAYING
  THIS MAP!

Your people manage to use the Freeze Rays to stop the magma from welling up
with no effects on the surface.  Pete chalks the enemy's willingness to
sacrifice an entire base to how desperate they are - meaning that if your
people don't use their own heads, they'll end up worse than burned.  If you
shot down Radora with Ryou, Pete then takes him to task for not finishing the
job, saying that that cold-blooded reptile will surely forget about Ryou
sparing his life right away.  Ryou knows this, yet still couldn't muster the
desire to kill him, after Radora had lost all ability to fight.  Pete finds
this sort of thinking incredibly naive, pointing out that it was Radora who
nearly killed you all.  Tetsuya intervenes, saying that it's also his
responsibility for rushing in heedless of the trap and getting everyone into
this mess in the first place.  Tetsuya is prepared for any sort of punishment,
on the condition that Pete cease his criticism of Ryou.  Pete plans to hold him
to that, and tells Sanshirou that he's speaking out of concern for keeping the
crew of his ship out of danger.  Daimoji steps in at this point, quoting the
principle of "hate the sin, not the sinner".  The upshot of the battle has sent
matters in a good direction; therefore, he doesn't plan on holding Ryou or
Tetsuya responsible - which Pete accedes to.  The real problem is that the
Kyouryuu are moving faster than your people expected - Ryou says that you've
got to find Machineland as quickly as possible.  Oh, and there's the Jama folks
to worry about, plus the heretofore unseen Mikeene menace.  The Subterraneans
have far more warpower than you all thought...

Goll is furious at Radora's failure, saying that he seems to have chosen death
over glory.  Radora asks him to wait, saying that he feels his fight isn't
finished due to being forced to retreat.  Goll agrees to give him one last
chance, telling him to withdraw and wait for his next audience.  Goll figures
that there are any number of ways to use Radora's resolve.  Gallery has deduced
that the Jama were some power in the ancient days of Japan, and Goll figures
that they, like his people, have awakened from a long slumber to try to take
over the world.  Gallery wonders what should be done about them, especially
since the Mikeene are beginning to act as well.  Goll tells Gallery to merely
continue his investigations - eliminating the monkeys in Japan comes first.  He
figures that the control of the underworld will fall to whoever acts fastest,
and hopes that the Mikeene and Jama take their good sweet time.


Stage 10. Hiroshi yo Tate!

Yuu is quite disconcerted at first to find out that the Brains like being
brushed.  He thinks to himself that his Brain is opening its heart too easily
to these kids - he figures he's only here because he has no other choice.  Hime
tells him not to sweat it, and then yells at him not to get so close to her:
she doesn't want to be kissed again.  The kids are amazed to hear the word
"kiss", but Yuu says that all he did is "greet" her, which Hime quickly agrees
to.  Hime asks if Yuu and his Brain are used to the ship - Yuu again tries to
insist that he's not here to get "used to" being here.  Hime can't stand how
all guys seem to have such trouble being honest, and asks Irui to back her.
Yuu senses something unusual about this girl, and Irui thanks the other kids
for treating her so nicely.  Irui tries to get Yuu and Hime to stop quarreling,
seeming almost like a normal child... could it be that Kusuha imagined her
predicting the tidal wave?

The GGG people then start puzzling over these mysterious Jama Empire folks,
apparently a different threat than the reptiles and the Mikeene.  Taiga isn't
entirely pleased to hear of a new enemy at this stage of the game, and asks
Yasunishi if she knows anything about these folks.  She figures that Shiba
knows more than she does, and remembers him publishing a paper about a culture
with similarities to the Jama.  Shiba has apparently been dreading this, but
can avoid it no longer.  He bids farewell to Shishiou and plans to head back
to Buildbase to check up on something concerning the Jama Empire.  He declines
escort, saying that he'll be meeting someone partway along the trip.

Along that trip, Shiba runs into a mysterious figure, Ikima, who figures Shiba
should know who he is: one of the three top commanders of Himika's army.  He
wants Shiba to show him the location of the bronze bell which Shiba professes
no knowledge of.  This item is indispensable to the revival of the Jama, and to
their domination of the entire world.  Shiba plans not to reveal its location
even if it means his death, in order to defend the world's peace.  As Ikima
gives Shiba his last chance, something unintelligible happens that causes Ikima
and his lackeys to withdraw and head for Buildbase.  Mitchi sees the car drive
off, but of course the professor isn't in good shape...

Back at the ranch, Shiba's family is waiting for his arrival.  His son Hiroshi
doesn't seem to believe in his father's word very much, saying that his father
values his research over his family.  Just then Mitchi hurries in with Shiba
in tow, badly injured.  Shiba stops Mitchi from calling a doctor, saying that
he's beyond aide.  With his final words, he gives Hiroshi a glove and a
pendant, but can't manage to tell him what their significance is.  Just then
Dairi calls in, saying that the Buildbase is under attack.  Shiba had foreseen
this, and he tells Mitchi to grab Hiroshi and head there immediately.  Hiroshi
wants to know whose this "Jama Empire" is, and whether they're the ones who
killed his father.  Mitchi says she doesn't have time to explain what's going
on, and Hiroshi doesn't want to go to the place where his father does his
research...  He runs off, and Dairi tells Mitchi to head back herself while he
readies the Big Shooter.  Hiroshi is more than furious with his father for
dying and giving him the glove and pendant, but his father's voice comes to
him, telling him clearly to go to Buildbase.

Dairi launches the Big Shooter, telling Mitchi to keep the Haniwa Gennin away
from it.

  On turn two, Ikima works on pressing the assault on the base.  He then sees
  Hiroshi heading towards it, and has his troops blast him.  Miraculously,
  Hiroshi is okay, and Ikima orders his people to attack again.  Hiroshi
  is damned if he'll die without knowing what's going on, and a vision of
  his father appears, telling him to put his hands together and shout
  "Koutetsu Jeeg!", at which point that's what he'll turn into.  Hiroshi
  wants to know what the hell is going on around here, but Shiba tells him
  to obey unless he wants to see his mother and sisters fall to the Jama
  as well.  He turns into Jeeg, and Mitchi reminds him that he can only
  be at full power when he's supported by Jeeg Parts from Big Shooter:
  don't stray outside its radius.

  Once you wipe out the initial enemies, Ikima gets pissed and vows to
  wipe out Build Base with his Yamata no Orochi.  Hiroshi wants to
  know how to fight all these enemies, but his father tells him not to
  spout such weak stuff - from now on, he's got to live as a warrior.  He's
  tired of being lectured, but Dairi says that Buildbase can withstand a
  certain degree of enemy attack - all you've got to do is take out the
  enemy before the base is destroyed completely.

  For the Skill Point, destroy all other enemies before the Yamata no
  Orochi.

  Reinforcements arrive on the next round.  As your people unhappily
  recognize the Jama forces, Kouji wonders why they've come all the
  way here - could it be they want something inside of Buildbase?
  Hiroshi is plainly unhappy to see your forces here, and rapidly
  gets into an argument with Hyouma.  He apparently figures he can
  take out these enemies on his own...

  Ikima is worth a Study-type Computer.

  However, after Ikima pulls out, Kusuha detects something else coming:
  it's the Ko-Ou-Ki!  Moreover, it's being driven by Britto!  He
  confesses to carrying out all the attacks on her to this point, but
  says that he's just trying to bring the Ryuu-Jin-Ki back, not fight
  with the rest of your guys.  Ryou asks what's been happening to Britto in
  all the intervening time - well, doesn't seem to be suffering from
  amnesia, since he remembers fighting alongside you all before.  He repeats
  his claim that he's trying to save the world by bringing Kusuha and the
  Ryuu-Jin-Ki to his lord (here he begins to sound somewhat mechanical).
  Worse, he seems to almost be able to mind control Kusuha until Irui
  intervenes.  She pleads with Britto not to take her away, and he flees.
  Just what is going on around here?

  After the usual exchange of thanks for the help in battle amongst the
  scientists, Hiroshi is still curt and wants to know what the hell is
  going on.  To explain, Dairi shows Hiroshi to a computer that Shiba
  put all his memories into in case something should ever happen to him.
  It all started 25 years ago, when he deciphered the ancient writing on
  the bronze bell and something terrible happened.  Once Japan was ruled by
  the Jama empire, whose Empress Himika ruled using alternate-dimensional
  technology.  The bronze bell foretold Himika's revival after a thousand and
  several hundred years of sleep, to try once again to rule Japan.  To
  oppose this plan, Buildbase was created.  Unfortunately, Hiroshi
  is still critical of his father, and plans to protect his family and let
  the rest of the crew protect the world.  His mother interrupts him,
  telling him that his contrariness towards his father is making him lose
  sight of what he should do - and he's using his family as a mere excuse.
  Hiroshi is beginning to listen, and his father tells him to join the
  Taikuu Maryuu and fight to save the world and so forth.  Hiroshi's
  family will move to Buildbase, which should be save since the bronze bell
  the bad guys are searching for won't be there.  Shiba can't tell
  Hiroshi why the bad guys want the bronze bell, saying that he'll eventually
  understand and that it would be meaningless to him now.  Hiroshi isn't
  happy about his father's words, but plans to fight for the sake of his
  family anyway.

It's not clear that Britto has become your enemy per se, though he may still be
under someone's control.  The question is, who the "lord" is that made the
Choukijin or whatnot.  Kusuha is glad that Britto at least remembers her...  Or
not.  Irui tells her not to cry, though she's not sure precisely how she saved
Kusuha.  Remy tells Kusuha that occasionally men feel a need to be away from
their women, so the next time she sees him she should just slap him and bring
him back... and she'll help.

Himika vents her fury for Ikima's failure upon him for a while.  It turns out
that there's a secret on the tablet that will let them revive the Lord of the
Underworld, the best way for them to take over the world: a monster that will
lead everything to ruin.  Himika commands her commanders to find out where the
bronze bell is, and put the fear of death into anyone standing in their way...

  You get two Thruster Modules, a Propellant Tank, a Cartridge, a Repair Kit,
  and an OVA's Croquette.


Stage 11. G Dakkai Sakusen

Miwa is shocked at news from Adenauer, passed along from Staff HQ on the Kreuz
base on Mars - Daimoji appears to have been right all along.  As a result,
Adenauer wants the Taikuu Maryuu to be sent his way, causing Miwa to doubt his
sanity and point out that it's an obvious trap.  Adenauer says that Staff HQ
has already handed down this decision, saying that careless action when there's
so little information should be avoided.  Miwa favors simply charging in and
wiping out these "obvious" invaders, though Adenauer points out that they've
attempted to open negotiations - does Miwa really want another Balmar war? Miwa
counters that Staff HQ are the ones who didn't learn from the war, but Adenauer
says that whatever the aliens' objectives are it's necessary to stall for time.
 Miwa heatedly tells Adenauer to send the Lond Bel to Mars instead, but he
replies that the Taikuu Maryuu is the only ship capable of reaching Mars in a
short amount of time.  Besides, the Lond Bel are busy with the remnants of the
Neo Jion, who seem to be acting up lately.  To soften the blow to the
anti-Subterranean activity, Adenauer will send the Hejim squad as replacements.
 Miwa doesn't seem to regard aliens as anything but the enemy...

Meanwhile, eminent scientists from throughout the Federation are meeting for
the first time since the Balmar War, joined by Riliina.  They've all been sent
with the Taikuu Maryuu as representatives of the Earth in meeting with the new
aliens on Mars.  According to Preventer information, these folks call
themselves Barmians - not a planet that any of your people have heard of
before.  It's unclear whether these are the same aliens you've crossed swords
with, and Riliina figures their objective in coming to the Solar System won't
be clear until you talk to them in person.  Sending these three people was a
mutual decision by the Federation government and the military staff HQ, and
even Miwa apparently caved in to the request in time.  Daimoji is willing to
undertake the journey when he hears that GMs are being sent to replace his
forces.

Your pilots mull these new developments.  Tetsuya mentions the possibility
that these negotiations are trap, which would fit with the daunting array of
firepower (Voltes, Daitarn-3, etc.) already on Mars.  Yuu wants to know why
the aliens have come all the way out here, and is rather doubtful they simply
want to be friends.  Hime isn't so sure, saying that in this wide universe
there may well be some aliens who are simply lonely.  This is an interesting
viewpoint (if optimistic).  As for what to do about Orphan in the interim, the
Novus Noa is still around, plus whatever help the Federation may or may not be
willing to provide.  At least Yuu figures that the Brains should function in
space, since they're already capable of shielding themselves against the
pressures of the deep sea - plus, if Orphan really is a space ship, it's all
the more likely that they can work in space.  Boz points out that if worse
comes to worse they can just wear space suits.

Your people are approaching one of the Lagrange points, and Daimoji has
everyone on alert against possible Neo Jion attack.  Hyouma wonders if Camille
is doing okay at Londinion - your people haven't seen him since "that
incident".  Just then someone codenamed "Prince of the Beach" contacts you,
asking to come alongside.  This is the code for Quatre, and Daimoji has him
come aboard.  It seems Duo is with him - it's rare to see them acting in
concert.  Trowa is there too, saying that they'd all been sent to scout out
some Neo Jion activities.  Wufei is there too, but apparently Hiiro is not.
Remy likes all the bishounen who've just joined the party, making Shingo
faintly envious.  When Hachirou says that he's having a good time, Shingo
warns him of the dangers on Mars of Meganoid revolts and alien attack.  This
could get ugly, but at least Remy has a chance to do some serious macking on
the G Boys.

Hiiro is apparently missing, which might have something to do with the fact
that the G Boys had their Gundams _stolen_ by Neo Jion survivors.  It seems
that although the Gundams were launched toward the sun after the Balmar War.
Nobody outside the Preventers knew of this plan, much less had the wherewithal
to pick them up.  Rasheed explains that his men followed the block containing
the Gundams on Quatre's orders, but found no Gundams inside it.  When Quatre
started to investigate the Junk House and other pirates, he got a strange
message from an anonymous sender, detailing the route Neo Jion was using to
transport the Gundams.  This seems like an obvious ploy to lure the Gundam
pilots into a trap, but Hiiro is probably off tracking the Gundams down on his
own...

The worrisome part is how the Neo-Jion knew about the garbage block containing
the Gundams... odds are good that there's a mole in the Preventers.  Actually,
Quatre would have preferred that to what his investigation turned up: the Neo-
Jion have a new leader: Mineva Zabi, or rather Hamarn Kahn.  Or so Quatre
thought at first, but something seems different than the previous Neo-Jion
activities.  It couldn't be Anavel Gatou, since he didn't know about the
Gundams... that leaves only one possibility, which Quatre really hopes is
wrong.  To find out one way or the other, the G Boys want to try jumping into
the trap and getting their Gundams back.  Daimoji quickly decides to help them
out, since it's on the way and since the Gundams would be a big addition to
your warpower.

Cima is certainly surprised to see your people, and hardly pleased either.  She
can guess who leaked her whereabouts to the Federation.  It looks like the
information Quatre received was accurate so far - now to see if they've
actually got your Gundams.  Quatre is pretty confident that whoever sent the
information wouldn't yank their chain about that...  Pete tells Quatre to
contact the enemy Musaka within three turns, lest enemy reinforcements appear.

  Get the G Boys to the Musaka 2 within three turns.  As the G Boys try to
  break into the cargo hold a bunch of Jion mecha appear and surround them.
  Worse, more enemies appear and surround your entire crew... lead by
  Zechs in the Tallgeese III.  He deflects Cima's question about whether it was
  he who leaked the Gundams' whereabouts, and Cima is willing to accept his
  help in this battle regardless, since his presence here has to be on orders
  from Above.  Cima in fact retreats, leaving your people to try to rescue
  Quatre and the others... until a MS-sized object approaches rapidly from
  outer space, and wipes out a bunch of the enemies with a long-range beam.
  There's only one person who could do that, and he pilots an angel-like
  Gundam.  The Goshogun pilots thank their lucky stars that Bundorl isn't
  around to see this flashy machine.  It is in fact Hiiro, who stole his own
  Gundam back before the others were sent away.  Hiiro realized Zechs'
  treachery right after Zechs disappeared on Mars.  After all, there are only
  two people not actively in the Preventers who knew of the plan: one was
  Zechs... and the other is...  In any case, the G Boys are back in action.
  Zechs feels no reason to explain why he's on the Jion side, and says that
  its time for both the G Boys and their Gundams to leave the stage now.  Duo
  points out that they just _took_ the stage, and according to Zechs' script
  no less.  Hiiro doesn't care if Zechs doesn't answer, but if Zechs plans on
  getting in the way, he'll Kill Him(tm).  Zechs asks if the Zero has shown
  Hiiro Zechs' future, and Hiiro says there's no need to even ask - the future
  of those who would plunge the Earth Sphere into chaos is foreordained.
  Zechs cautions that his actions now are according to his own will - Hiiro
  shouldn't hold back.

  For a Skill Point, take down Zechs, who flees at 2000 HP.

  Zechs is worth a Large Generator.  If you have him talk to Duo, Duo says
  that he's the true Grim Reaper to those who would betray him.  Zechs
  replies that he's now known as the "Lightning Count", and that he won't
  lay down his life so easily.

Zechs compliments your people on their victory, and withdraws.  Surely this is
no ordinary betrayal - there must be some reason behind it.  Well, you _did_
get the Gundams back, though it's an open question whether Zechs leaked the
information, or...

Hiiro explains that he didn't grab the other Gundams because he judged that he
could make it back to the Earth Sphere fastest if he only took the Wing Zero.
Trowa is impressed with Hiiro's logicalness, and the G Boys can't really
quarrel amongst themselves for long.  The bigger problem is Zechs, who's gone
back over to the bad guys' side.  Quatre is positive that Zechs is the one who
leaked the information... but he senses that someone else is involved as well.
Hiiro wonders if Riliina knows of all this, and she walks in and says that she
foresaw it all.  Hiiro seems satisfied that nothing bad has happened to her,
and she says that while she's sure her brother has something in mind, she
doesn't have time to worry right now about what.  She's got to fulfill her
duties as representative and attempt to guide talks with the Barmians in a
good direction.  Hiiro vows to accompany her to Mars and protect her, saying
that if her brother should stand in their way he'll be sure to be the one to
defeat him.

Boz's crew all have to wear spacesuits, since the Borot is _absolutely_ non-
airtight.  Of course, the same can be said of Diana, which has a _bike_ for a
cockpit.  As Boz and Diana bicker, Hiroshi realizes that he didn't need a
spacesuit at all.  Even with the Jeeg transformation and all, he wonders if
he's somehow different from the rest of your crew...

With all preparations complete, the Taikuu Maryuu heads off for Mars.


Stage 12.  Gunjin ga Wazawai wo Yobu ("The God of War Summons Misfortune")

Your people have just made it safely to Mars orbit.  There's a large
artificial object ahead - apparently the Barmian spaceship.  This thing is
larger than a Space Colony, and capable of interstellar travel... and if it
also serves as a battle station, it seems that the Barmians have _very_ high
technology.  Just then something heads your way: Daitarn-3!  Your comrades are
fine but very busy, and Banjou leads you to the Kreuz base.

There, Noin is very surprised to hear of Zechs' defection.  Lady Un knows
nothing of what might have precipitated it, though Noin has some idea.  Quatre
figures that "that person" was responsible for the Gundams being findable, and
doubts that Zechs simplemindedly betrayed you.  Noin says this is just like
Zechs, who must have some duty important enough to keep him from saying
plainly what he's up to.  She's planning on waiting until the time is ripe for
him to fess up, the way he always works.  Lady Un tells Quatre not to worry
about it more than necessary since the peace talks come first... and those
talks are slated to begin in five hours, here in the Kreuz bass.  From casual
inspection, it appears that the Barmians have numerous mobile weapons: Mars
probably would have fallen had the Barmians chosen to attack.  Said Barmians
haven't done anything since arriving in orbit except routine surveillance -
they haven't done anything concrete to indicate an intention to invade, which
is promising.  Still, even without the previous war as an example there are
numerous hurdles to overcome before the peoples of two different planets can
join hands.  And at least the aliens started by requesting the meeting...

It seems Mars recovery has been a high priority since the previous war, and
with the terraforming in progress the first wave of genuine colonists is
already here.  The various girls on the crew get reacquainted and start the
guy gossip in earnest, as well as some newcomers from Deimovic, the base that
Yotsuya was working on: Ryuuzaki Kazuya, space pilot and karate expert; his
"sister" Nana; and Yogetsu Kyoushirou, some guy who got stuck with them.  It
turns out that Kazuya is Ryuuzaki Yuu's son, and Kyoushirou suggests that
Kazuya have a look at the rumored Deimos before the conference starts.

Garrison then returns, saying that there's no sign of anyone approaching
within 100 km in any direction of "their" destroyed base.  Unfortunately, it
was the same the previous time with "them"... and given that the Jupiterians
are still alive, "they" may be too...

Ken'ichi is glad to see his father again, though his mother is still back at
Deimovic helping Hamaguchi and Yotsuya research Deimolite.  It seems that
Deimos itself is in very good order thanks to help from a bunch of the folks
stationed here.  Kazuya is also glad to see his father, and just to be on the
safe side wants him to check out the Deimolite power regulator.  Just then
Tobia comes in, impressed with the huge "trailer" he sees.  It turns out he's
a Mechanical Engineering student member of the colonists.  Kyoushirou seems
genuinely impressed with this kid's guts, coming all the way out to a distant
colony like this.  Tobia's got a lot of love for life on the frontier, saying
that he _really_ wanted to go to Jupiter, but that's been incommunicado since
the last war.  Just then Kalas shows up, asking Tobia if preparations are
complete for moving the solar panel in hangar four.  This somewhat sinister
figure calmly introduces himself as one of the instructors, and gently reminds
Tobia that interrupting work isn't a good thing.  As the two of them withdraw,
Kyoushirou notes that Kalas hid his presence as he approached: this is no mere
instructor...

Kouji is getting tense in this atmosphere, like unto that before a big school
test.  Hiroshi rather bluntly puts a stop to the attempted levity, saying that
this whole thing is obviously a trap by the aliens.  Ryou asks him why he
thinks that, and Hiroshi says that with the huge enemy fortress right
overhead, the enemy could attack any time they felt like it.  Ryou counters
that had the aliens wished to attack, they would presumably have done it from
the outset.  Hiroshi says that car races aren't necessarily won by driving flat
out right from the start, and figures that the aliens are scoping your people
out: when they get their chance, they'll strike without warning.  Pete realizes
he was thinking the same thing, and Daimoji orders everyone to level one
battle stations.  All preparations are complete, and all you have to wait for
now is the Barm representative to show up.  The Barm send over a shuttle, and
Daimoji hopes everything goes smoothly...

It seems Rion, the Barm representative, is looking for someone to take in a
*billion* of his countrymen who are currently in artificial hibernation aboard
his ship.  Kentarou understands this, but says that accommodating all those
people on the Earth would prove quite difficult.  Rihitel demands to know if
that constitutes a rejection, but Rion tells his son to mind his manners
during these negotiations.  Kentarou explains that not all humans are of one
mind, and not everyone would be willing to openly accept these newcomers.
Rihitel is surprised to hear that the "ruling classes" on Earth are weak enough
to permit that kind of dissent, and Kentarou can do nothing but agree.  Rihitel
has heard enough, and tells his father that such imperfect beings aren't fit to
share the same table with his people.  Geroiyar agrees, but Rion tells his
people not to force their problems onto the Earthlings.  Rion tells the Earth
delegation that he hopes for some kind of resolution to this, and is prepared
to wait while both sides work to bridge their differences.  AND is prepared to
withdraw entirely should this prove infeasible.  Rihitel is inwardly fuming
that his father would be willing to continue his people's life of drifting, but
Yuu opines that the Earthlings should accept the request now.  Obviously your
people can't solve the acceptance question in the short term, but he says that
it ought to be possible to direct the military and government in the proper
direction over time.  And he thinks: why does mankind hold such limitless
dreams about the universe, if not to make contact with others like the
Barmians?  Now that they're _here_, it would be only proper to stretch forth
your hands to them.  Kentarou tells a grateful Rion that the Federation
government will require some time to officially approve the move, given the
unfortunate past history of alien attack.  Riliina pledges that these
representatives will do their utmost to press the Barmians' case, and Rion
praises the god of his people that such a hospitable place as this Earth lay
at the end of his people's long, long journey.  While Riliina and friends go
to contact the government, they offer the Barmians a chance to rest and Earth
food, though Kentarou isn't sure it will agree with the Barmians' palette.
Geroiyar is "glad" to hear that his people have been saved, and chuckles as he
offers his king a glass to drink from.  Rion falls immediately unconscious,
and Geroiyar hastily accuses the Earthlings of poisoning him.  An enraged
Rihitel starts blasting away, shouting out that the Earthlings won't escape
alive from this.  Yuu gets shot, but Hiiro protects Riliina and tells her to
run away.

The conference is nearing its scheduled ending when a huge explosion rocks the
conference hall.  Hiiro radios in, saying that someone has poisoned Rion and
that he's in combat with the Barmians, though he's managed to protect Riliina
and Kentarou.  Kazuya wants to know what became of Yuu, and when Hiiro won't
tell him he bursts out in Deimos to search for him himself.  Just then, vast
numbers of Barmians show up to protect Rihitel, who announces himself to all
the foolish humans who assassinated his father.  Your people obviously don't
buy that your peaceloving delegates tried to assassinate anybody, and Rihitel
says that he executed Yuu in the name of justice.  And that won't stop here:
your people are about to feel the full brunt of Barm's fury and grief.  Kazuya
has some grief of his own, and tells the Barmians that THEY are the ones who
won't walk away from this alive.  Daimoji, with no other choice to protect the
colonists and base personell, orders your people to sortie.  Looks like
Shingo's misgivings were right on - jinx's really suck, as Remy knows
firsthand.  The Goshogun crew notices that the enemy got here _awfully_ fast,
as though they _expected_ this to happen... or else had it planned this way
from the start.  The Voltes Team recognizes someone on the bad guys side:
Bergan in his Scarlook: a Boazan military machine.  Looks like the Boazan
survivors have hooked up with the Barm... or perhaps these are new folks from
the Boazan homeworld, according to Ken'ichi's and his brother's stories.  With
the Arrowgater hold over the Boazan homeworld broken, there's no telling what
they may be up to now.

  Wipe out all enemies within seven turns for a Skill Point.  Good players
  should be able to do it in as few as four. ^_-

  On turn 1.5, Desmond grudgingly admires Geroiyar's plan.  Dangel figures that
  they merely need leave it up to the Barmians and Boazans.  Desmond decides to
  withdraw and report to Emperor Darius that the plan has succeeded.  Pete
  restrains Sanshirou from following, since you've got to buy time here for
  forming real battle plans.

  Banjou figures out fast that talking to Rihitel will accomplish nothing,
  and Kazuya's insistence that his father would never have tried anything like
  assassination doesn't pan out either.  And he won't tell Ken'ichi why the
  Boazan are fighting by his side.

  Rihitel is worth a Multisensor.  He vows to take revenge on you for his
  father's death sooner or later.

  On turn three, Daimoji is in the process of pulling all the colonists and
  noncombattants out of Mars, followed by your personell.  Kazuya doesn't
  want to just leave, saying that it would make his father's death meaningless
  and that he hates just running from Mars.  Banjou has been there, done that,
  and bought the T-shirt, and tells him that what's important now is to stay
  alive and let the people on Earth know what happened here.  As he is
  accepting this bitter pill, he discovers a girl collapsed in the residential
  section.  She's unconscious, and he has no choice but to take her inside
  Deimos.

  Bergan is worth a Chobham Armor.  He grudgingly admits how strong you all
  are, but says that now that his objective is fulfilled, there's no more
  point in fighting you all.

After the battle, your people immediately depart Mars.  There's no trace of
pursuit from "Little Barm", so it looks like you should be able to break away
cleanly.  At least you were able to save all the colonists and staff from the
base...  That's scant consolation considering that another war just like the
previous one seems about to start.  Riliina is sad she couldn't do anything to
prevent the fighting, but Sakon points out that it's not her fault - there is
some evil plot behind this, especially given the speed with which the Barm
deployed their troops.  And whatever this plot is, Rion was presumably unaware
of it.  It's also suspicious that the Boazan were somehow involved.  In fact,
there looked like at least three distinct cultures at work on the bad guys'
side: Barm, Boazan, and some _other_ heretofor unknown culture whose mecha are
totally different than the Balmar.  Under these circumstances, Daimoji's only
available course of action is to return to Earth and regroup.

Olban is addressing the troops, pledging to take revenge on the Earthlings for
murdering Rion and to colonize the Earth according to Rion's wishes.  Plus,
the Zaylans are there to help them: there's nothing whatsoever to fear!  Olban
has made Rihitel general, and has him order the troops forward.  The lives of
one billion people are riding on this.  This looks like it's gonna get ugly...


Stage 13. Shinobiyoru Rinjin ("Neighbors Creeping Closer")

Rihitel has just heard that his little sister Erika is missing.  Balbas
apologizes and says that she seems to have strayed outside during the meeting
on Mars and gotten caught up in the fighting.  Raiza figures that the
Earthlings must have captured her, and Balbas figures that that means she
should still be alive... but Rihitel the Short-Tempered tells him to shut up,
demanding to know why Balbas even expects her to live longer in the hands of
the miserable Earthlings.  He's sure that Erika, a proud Barm woman, would have
taken her own life rather than suffer the indignity of being captured by the
humans.  Rihitel orders Balbas to forget about his sister, but Margarette
intercedes, asking if Rihitel really intends to abandon his only sister.
Rihitel will hear none of it: his one and only great duty is the invasion of
Earth.  She finds this greatly lamentable, wondering how sad the late Rion
would be at those words.  She then asks how borrowing aide from unfathomed
allies like the Zayla and Boazan constitutes "Barm pride", and Raiza tells her
curtly that even though she's Rihitel and Erika's mother she's going too far.
Rihitel claims to still be worried about Erika, but his duty comes first - and
he trusts that Erika would understand that.  Raiza reports that the Earthlings
seem to be engaged in combat near their homeworld, which Rihitel sees as a
good chance to attack.  He orders Raiza to cooperate with Bergan and hasten
readiness of the first invasion wave, and has Balbas pursue the Earthlings'
ship.  Margarette can only pray that Erika is alive and well...

Lo and behold, Erika turns out to be the girl that Kazuya rescued (blossoming
tragic romance alert!!)  Wouldn't you know it, Erika has amnesia and can't
remember much more than her name, but Kazuya stops her panic and tells her to
rest easy and recuperate from the shock she's had.  He tells her he'll be back
to check on her later.  He then has OVA look after her as he breaks the news
of her condition to the others.  Yuu, ever suspicious and observant, isn't
necessarily buying the amnesia story.  He points out that the Barmians sent
more than just the negotiators to Mars, and there _was_ a lot of confusion
when the fighting started: there's certainly no guarantee that this really is
amnesia.  Kyoushirou likes that idea, though all the colonists aren't
accounted for yet... this pretty girl could be a Barm spy (after all, roses
have thorns).
 The Goshogun team is about to start up the usual levity, but a distraught
Kazuya seems very sure that Erika's no spy.  He admits that he has no basis
for saying so, but he just can't see her as a spy.  Kyoushirou wonders if this
is a case of "Love is Blind", and it takes Ken'ichi to stop a full-blown
argument from breaking out - he points out that all you have to do is actually
_investigate_ this girl to find out what she's about.  Kazuya runs off,
distraught both over this woman and over the loss of his father.  Shingo
points out that Erika _was_ discovered near the meeting hall, an area
supposedly off-limits.  Her clothing was clearly non-military, making it all
the more suspicious.  It's certainly true that Erika doesn't have the wings
that other Barmians have, but Yuu points out that if those could somehow be
removed the Barmians are indistinguishable from other humans.  Hime wonders if
Yuu is being too suspicious, but he says that when people are happy drawing
class distinctions and discriminating by them, trust shouldn't be given
lightly.  And that goes double for aliens.

Kazuya goes to see Erika, who hasn't changed much since the previous scene.
As OVA goes back to hang out with Kenta, Kazuya gives Erika a present: a
flower from the Taikuu Maryuu's gardens.  Erika marvels at how pretty it is
(and Kazuya does the same for how pretty she is).  Kazuya says he's glad to
finally see her smile, and while she's very touched by his kindness she sees a
loneliness in his eyes.  Kazuya admits that his father was killed on Mars, by
the Barmians... and angrily says that he'll never forgive the Barmians who
killed his peace-loving father as a treacher.  He tells her that her amnesia
is also a result of the Barmian attack, and he intends to fight and defeat
them.  Erika asks if that would truly make his father happy, saying that while
she doesn't know the circumstances of his father's death, a _peace-loving_
father might not be overjoyed at the thought of revenge on his behalf.
Kazuya, amazed, realizes that she's right on the money: in his rage he had
almost lost sight of all his father's teachings.  Erika apologizes for saying
so much, but had been unable to bear the sight of the sadness in Kazuya's eyes.
 Kazuya thanks her instead, saying that he feels as though her words opened his
eyes - of course his father wouldn't approve of him fighting for revenge.
Being with her has made him feel honest with himself for the first time in his
life, and Erika inwardly feels the same about him.  Very odd feelings to be
sure...

Riliina is explaining to Daimoji that Rion's death was clearly a plot from the
Barm side: the Earthlings have no reason whatsoever to pull something like
that.  And the only one with the opportunity to actually poison the drink were
the Barm delegates.  Meaning that whoever the plotters are simply used the
conference as an excuse to foment the war.  It would be quite reasonable to
assume that there are Barmians opposed to peace talks in the same way that Miwa
is...  Unfortunately, a nearby Jupiter fleet transport ship has just come under
fire from the Barm - and all ships are supposed to be staying away from Mars
airspace.  Daimoji can't ignore the call for aide, and Pete orders all
noncombattants into the central block in preparation for the battle.

Something weird is going on - the Jupiter ship isn't responding to your
hailing, and doesn't appear to have deployed its defensive Mobile Suits.
Balbas thinks he can take you all down without any help from Bergan.  Kazuya
won't let that happen, informing Balbas that your people never intended to
fight the Barmians from the outset... but if they _insist_ on fighting you,
he'll go on fighting not to take revenge for his father but to protect his
comrades and the Earth.  Balbas is fine by this, saying that by taking you all
down he'll make reparations for Rion's death.  This pisses Hiroshi off, who
accuses the Barmians of being the ones who planned the assassination
themselves.  Balbas [apparently not one of the conspirators] says that his
people were the ones in the first place - why would they then assassinate one
of their own?  Hiroshi points out that had the talks failed or not happened at
all, your people knew the Barmians would attack in full force: your side had
no reason to want the talks to fail!  Balbas actually manages to grasp that
concept, and Kazuya opines that his father and Rion were killed as part of
some internecine Barmian plot.  Balbas figures that noone would ever want to
assassinate someone so upstanding as Rion - but Yuu points out that it's
precisely that upstandingness that put his life at risk.  Yuu says that there
are plenty of people who would manipulate nobles for their own ends, and all
the more so if they can grab power for themselves.  Kiry tells Remy that it's
unlikely to be Rion's successor, who doesn't seem to be one for sleight of
hand like this.  Balbas, unfortunately for him, is just dumb enough to figure
that you all must be at fault somehow...

  Take all the bad guys down in seven turns for a Skill Point.  Good play
  should be able to do it in more like *four*.

  On round two, Erika recognizes the Barmian robots... but she can't remember
  clearly, or rather, doesn't _want_ to remember.

  Balbas is worth a Booster.

Your people still have received no response from the Jupiterian ship, and
since your people never called for one it must have been sent from the Jupiter
side.  Daimoji decides to pull away from it and send some people in to
investigate.  Banjou will conduct the search (after he manages to get Tobb to
stay behind), and takes along Noin, Hiiro, and Duo.  Just then Kalas shows up
(in this restricted zone) and offers to come along as well.  Banjou wants to
know his reason.  He says that in his youth he once boarded a Southerns Jupiter
ship, and is offering his knowledge of the ship's layout should anything go
awry.  Banjou agrees to this person's help...


Stage 14. Sono Yami no Na wa Mokusei ("That Darkness is Named Jupiter")

Duo wonders if Banjou is really better off being in the Daifighter, and Hiiro
isn't worried, on the principle that "good things come in small packages." Duo
is more worried that your people are being overcautious, and Banjou certainly
hopes he's right.  Noin has finally made contact with the ship: it appears to
be load with Jupiterian refugees.  This is very fishy, considering they didn't
answer your hailing when the battle with the Barmians was on.  Kalas suggests
that you're overthinking this, and that if they wanted to attack they'd have
sent out their mobile suits long ago.  Banjou prepares to head in, asking Noin
to take care of the rest.  Meanwhile, Tobia has snuck aboard the Daifighter,
noting how cramped it is and realizing that if he's discovered he'll
positively get sent back.  He figures he's got to be patient until he can see
this vessel from Jupiter with his own eyes.  Just then someone _else_ who's
stowed aboard the ship lets Tobia know he's there, saying that both of them had
better be careful lest their objectives for being here go unfulfilled.

The captain claims that his people have no connection to the former
Jupiterians, and wants your people to stop suspecting him.  Banjou says that
in that case, he should have no objections to him opening his ship's hold.
The captain says those contain nothing but helium-3 tanks, which he has no need
to show your people.  Hiiro asks whether the captain would be in trouble by
showing them to your people - for example, maybe a new mobile suit is hidden
there.  Kalas tells the captain that if he wants to clear his name, he'd best
show your people what they want to see - and the captain, seemingly
recognizing Kalas, hastens to comply.  Tobia's now seen what he wanted to see,
and is heading back to the shuttle lest he get left behind.  Just then he gets
spotted by one of the crew, who announces that there's an intruder on board
and proceeds to try to shoot him on the spot.  Actually, it was Bernadette who
was spotted, who runs into Tobia and begs him to save her.  Introductions get
cut short as space pirates apparently start opening fire on the ship... or
more specifically, the Crossbone Vanguard.  Banjou announces that his people
are withdrawing to the Daifighter, since there's no longer any time to check
the hold.  Banjou heads out, trusting Garrison (the old guy who Tobia ran into
aboard the Daifighter) to take care of the rest.

Banjou tells Noin that things are about what he expected, including Kalas
bugging out.  The pirates are fast on the way, as is the Taikuu Maryuu.  Tobia
meanwhile has taken Bernadette and boarded a certain mech he found inside the
hold.  He's surprised to see a Gundam outside the ship, and attacks
immediately.  Aboard that Gundam is no mere pilot, someone named "Kincaidu"
[blame Tomino!] (aka Seabook) who hoses Tobia's machine and tells him to jump
off while there's still time.  The rest of your people certainly recognize this
new Gundam's movements: if Hiiro's memory serves him, its pilot was once posted
to the Lond Bel.  Tobia wonders why this pirate didn't kill him, as a LOT of
new units show up: looks like both sides have shown their true colors.  Vera
(i.e. Cecily) announces herself as the Crossbone Vanguard, the ones who strive
to overthrow the enemies skulking in the darkness of Jupiter.  She's rather go
by Vera Rona right now simply because it suits her objectives better.
 Kincaidu would prefer to preserve the evidence, and asks that Banjou not
destroy the transport, but Banjou says that he's already taken the appropriate
steps.  Kincaidu is happy to see that Banjou's on top of his game as usual,
and Banjou notices that a former enemy of your people is among the Crossbone
Vanguard: Zabiine.  Zabiine tells him that he reconsidered his past actions
and came to serve his rightful lord: Vera Rona.  Banjou gravely says that
he'll accept that explanation for now out of respect for Vera and Kincaidu.
Vera commands her troops that their mission is depriving the transport of its
warpower, not sinking it.

  Your objective is to reduce the Southerns Jupiter to less than 14k HP.
  Wipe out all other enemies first for a Skill Point.

  Your dudes show up on turn 9.  The Goshogun crew ponder these pirate
  Gundams, wondering what's next, a Ninja or Knight?  Banjou hastily informs
  your people that _these_ Crossbone folks are on your side.  Your people
  aren't really getting this, but they press on with the battle anyway.

  One of the bad guys has a Thruster Module.

Once you achieve the goal, your dudes break into the Jupiterian ship.  As
Tobia and Bernadette desperately seek a way to get out of this mess, they run
across the aforementioned tanks - except they're not helium-3, they're poison
gas! Kalas shows up, saying it's a simple labeling mistake.  He tells Tobia to
try opening one of the valves if he doubts him: he'll be able to feel what it
feels like to go to heaven.  Kalas, finally(?) showing his true colors, points
a gun at an incredulous Tobia and instructs him to die.  Tobia wants to know
what his teacher is up to [other than attempting to take his life, I suppose
O_o].  This is apparently a plan for revenge on the Federation, executed by the
remains of the Jupiterians, overlooked by the Aegis project after their army
was destroyed.  Kalas can't just let one little kid like him, or those pirates
for that matter, get in the way.  His infiltration of the Federation, sneaking
onto Mars, and all that was for this plan: the will of Cranks Dugachi - killing
off everyone in the Federation and seizing mother Earth for the Jupiter
empire.  Just as Kalas is about to fire, Garrison shoots him first, lamenting
that his marksmanship hasn't entirely failed him yet.  Kalas is more than
furious that Banjou's butler has snuck aboard this ship when he wasn't looking.
 Maybe both these guys are losing their marbles? Furthermore, Kalas is
thunderstruck to see a certain personage (i.e.  Bernadette) aboard this ship,
but the conversation is broken up by the arrival of certain Mobile Suits on the
scene.

Kincaidu gives Tobia a choice.  One path is to return to Earth, forget
everything, and close his mouth like a clam.  The other is to join your dudes
and stand and face the truth.

Kouji's feeling a bit uneasy on the bridge of the Mother Vanguard - something
feels out of place from before.  Well, that's only natural considering that
Cecily is now a _pirate_captain_, although Seabook says that that's camouflage:
it's not like they're searching for buried treasure or anything.  For all that,
the cloaks on their Gundams seem to be pretty piratical ^^  Vera gets around to
explaining that these new Jupiterians, like the old ones, are trying to take
out all the Earthians.  The leader of the so-called Jupiter Empire, hadn't come
to the surface in the previous war, but he was the main reason the Jupiterians
had so much warpower.  Instead of psychic waves, they seem to be in the poison
gas business now, which if nothing else is vastly easier to make.  And thus
that much more likely to succeed.  Yuu goes on again about how humans are all
like this, willing to use class distinctions to their advantage and whatnot.
Hime protests that she never experienced anything like that where she grew up,
but Yuu says that she was just lucky.  Hime is beginning to understand from
Yuu's words that his parents didn't love him, and Banjou recalls how he's got
quite a bit of "parents" and "family" stuff in his past...  as does Vera.  In
any case, Vera first found out about the Jupiter Empire when she assumed
control of the Crossbone Vanguard after the previous war.  Banjou is frustrated
to admit that neither he nor the Preventers had any idea this Jupiter Empire
existed, and Seabook says that he and Cecily took on their Vanguard persona so
as to get closer to the Empire people.  Having Vera as a figurehead helped
gather those sympathetic to her cause in the ensuing internecine strife.
Unfortunately, when all this was going on the Lond Bel and Preventers were busy
with other matters on Earth, and Cecily had no way to ask for aide... and, she
was determined to settle the matters her family had started by her own hand.
Vera is very glad of Banjou's offer of help now, and no longer plans to return
to Jupiter since the Jupiter Empire's main fleet is now heading this way.
You've got to stop them at all costs...

Back on Mars, a certain LARGE lady is working on a new plan now that the time
has arrived, for the sake of her beloved's dreams and for the future of
mankind...

  You get a Cecily's Bread and the Gundam F-91.


Stage 15. Akumu!  Watashi no Ani wa Chikyuu no Teki!

Bergan is recommending against an outright attack on the Earth, saying that
the humans have surely learned from their experiences in the previous war and
fortified their defenses.  Moreover, some unknown adversaries exist inside the
Earth itself: carelessness could multiply the number of foes to be fought.
Rihitel seems genuinely insulted that Bergan thinks his people could be
defeated by the lowly Earthlings, but Bergan points out that Oreana of Campell,
and Hainel of Bergan's own army, once expressed such sentiments... and look
where it got them.  This gets Rihitel's attention, and Bergan recommends that
Rihitel use whoever he can while he can to strengthen his own army's position.
Rihitel after a moment expresses his gratitude that Boazan has led his people
to this star system.  Bergan merely says that he's overjoyed to be able to
further the Boazan-Barm alliance, but Rihitel angrily requests that Bergan take
off his mask as a show of equality.  Bergan complies and apologizes, but Raiza
is sure that Bergan isn't sharing all his counsel with the Barmians.  She
realizes that she'd better keep an eye on his, and the Zaylans', actions.
Balbas then announces that if his ships maintain course they'll make contact
with the Taikuu Maryuu.  Bergan reminds Rihitel that their ultimate objective
is taking over the Earth itself: changing course would be advisable.  Rihitel
doesn't see it that way, however, and decides to take this opportunity to
attack the Taikuu Maryuu.  Bergan carefully inquires if this move is motivated
by a desire for revenge, and Rihitel says that he has no intention to command
this ship with emotionality - but, the Earthlings need to be dealt with sooner
or later anyway.  Raiza gives the order for the army to make ready their
attack, and Bergan himself is willing to heed Rihitel's orders as well (though
he inwardly curses Rihitel for the fool he is).

The Mother Vanguard will be accompanying the Taikuu Maryuu: a very welcome
addition to your firepower.  Todd is worried that your people may become
suspected of piracy as well, but Sanshirou points out that a gigantic dragon
isn't going to get any more suspicious with the addition of a pirate ship or
two.  Sanshirou knows that Pete's objection is to the enemy Rona symbol, and
suggests that your people just pretend that they've captured the pirates and
are bringing them in for justice should the Federation threaten to attack.
Pete is plainly dubious that that would work, but Daimoji has already cleared
the whole thing with Major Bright of the Lond Bel, who have now begun acting
in earnest.

Sakon has completed his regularly scheduled checkup of Hiroshi, whose body
appears to be in perfectly good order.  Hiroshi asks him how long these exams
have to continue, and Sakon says that Shiba wanted them to continue at least
until you all return to Earth.  Hiroshi wants to know if Sakon knows whatever
secret is within his body - why can he transform into Jeeg, or rather, is he
even human?  Sakon says that yes, he is, despite the fact that Hiroshi can
survive just fine in space without a space suit.  Sakon explains that before
Hiroshi transforms into the Jeeg Head, he puts on a strengthening suit: it's
due to that that Hiroshi can withstand vacuum.  Hiroshi then points out that
he _also_ withstood getting hit by a car, before he knew about Jeeg _or_ put
on any kind of suit.  Sakon realizes that it's only natural Hiroshi would
notice this stuff, and just as Hiroshi asks again what's going on with his body
Kusuha brings in a bunch of data from the Ryuu-Jin-Ki.  It appears ready to
surpass the Ryuu-Ou-Ki on all fronts, and Kusuha says that ever since it met
the Ko-Ou-Ki its powers have been steadily growing (and perhaps that has
something to do with meeting Irui as well...)  Sakon says that her piloting is
also to thank, but Kusuha in turn thanks all the scientists who worked on her
machine, including Hiroshi's father.  Hiroshi is a bit surprised that his
father would help anyone other than himself, but Kusuha thinks he's going too
far.  After all, his father also helped look after Shishiou Gai - someone who,
in Sakon's words, shares the same destiny as Hiroshi.  Just then, Erika brings
coffee - she's up and about, though her memory isn't entirely recovered.  She
leaves the coffee on the table (enough for Hiroshi and Kusuha as well), and
apparently she's very handy at making it.  She claims she was merely imitating
Ropet, which Hiroshi is surprised to learn is a coffeemaker...  Erika is then
startled at the picture of the Barm combat robots that Sakon has been
examining.  Erika, flustered, quickly withdraws, which piques Sakon's
interest...

Again, Erika recognizes them, but can't or rather doesn't want to remember
fully.  She's sure that when she does...  She runs into Kazuya, and tells him
that she's extremely afraid of her memory coming back.  Kyoushirou's not
surprised, saying that she might just find herself surrounded by enemies when
she does.  Kazuya wants to know what he means by that, and Kyoushirou reminds
him that although Erika has received permission to travel freely throughout
the ship she's not yet cleared of suspicions of being a spy.  As another
argument looks like it's brewing, Kyoushirou tells Kazuya that he clearly isn't
going to be able to get through to him under the circumstances: as Marx said,
"trust noone".  Erika begs Kazuya not to fight for her sake, but he says he
can't stand people being suspicious of her, and he's prepared to fight the
entire world if need be to end it.  Kyoushirou tells Kazuya to knock off the
knight schtick, since he doesn't have enough lives for it.  Nana vaguely says
that her "brother" fighting like this is Erika's fault - her presence is what
makes her brother this way.  She shouts at Erika not to take her brother away
and runs off.  Kazuya tells Erika not to take Nana's words to heart, but Erika
says they're true: why does Kazuya protect her and hurt himself?  Why is he so
nice to her?  Kazuya says that he can't bear to leave her alone, but Erika
tells him he's merely pitying her.  Before they can hash that out, the enemy
attack.

This will be the first time the Crossbone Vanguard has crossed swords with the
Barm.  Hiiro and the G Boys realize that the enemy didn't go out of their way
to find you here: they and you were heading to the same place.  If that's
true, you absolutely have to stop them here.  Rihitel orders his men to make
mincemeat out of you all as the first step to invading the Earth.

  For a Skill Point, defeat the Scarlook, which flees at 6000 HP.

  On turn 1.5, Erika somehow gets into the bridge and recognizes the enemy
  mecha.  Since it's no longer safe to get her to the central block, Daimoji
  orders a seat made ready for her here.

  On the next round, Rihitel issues you all a "final warning".  At the sound
  of his voice, Erika begins to tremble and moan - looks like her memories
  are about to return.  Rihitel orders all of you to surrender in the interest
  of giving his billion comrades a safe home.  Sanshirou demands to know what
  right Rihitel has to break into someone else's house and then demand they
  hand over the deed.  Sanshirou vows to fight until the utmost bitter end to
  oppose that, and Rihitel sniffs that he'll show you fools just how big a
  gap in warpower exists between his people and yours.  Rihitel says that if
  you won't heed his final warning, he'll heap this place with your corpses.
  Erika, having now fully recovered her memory, yells out that he mustn't do
  that.  Some of your people are more surprised to learn that she's Rihitel's
  sister than others, and Daimoji has to yell at Pete not to shoot her on the
  spot.  Just then she sprouts wings, and somehow manages to flee the bridge.
  A furious Pete orders everyone not to let this spy escape, but Erika manages
  to swipe one of your spare ships and bail.  Kazuya really wants her to tell
  him this is all some kind of mistake, but she openly admits to him that she's
  Rihitel's younger sister.  She tells him however to remember this: she only
  just remembered it all, and never intended to lie to him.  She tells him
  goodbye - they really _weren't_ meant to be together after all.  As she flies
  off, she wonders why she fell in love with him...  Kazuya yells at her to
  wait - his feelings for her have nothing to do with revenge for his father.
  She tells him that those words are enough for her, and Rihitel impatiently
  tells her to get her butt back to his ship already.  She apologizes to him
  in turn, saying that Erika is dead already.  But as Erika tries to commit
  suicide or something, Raiza comes over and apprehends her, telling her not
  to be selfish when her brother is fighting.  On Rihitel's orders, she then
  takes Erika away from the battlefield.  As Erika gets hauled off, Kazuya
  yells out that he loves her, and several of your dudes have to speak up to
  prevent him from dashing off in hot pursuit.  Rihitel imperiously says
  that you fools, who can't even unify the governance of your own planet, can
  never hope to beat him.  Zabiine is inclined to believe this: from what
  he's seen, the Barm are governed by a meritocracy: something the Earth lacks.
  Seabook notices his doubts, but doesn't take any action.

  Rihitel is worth an Anti-Beam Coating.

Well, at least you beat back all the enemies for now.  It seems that the Barm
_and_ the Jupiter Empire folks are heading to the Earth, and you've got no time
to waste: you need to get back to Earth _fast_.  Kazuya wonders if he'll ever
see Erika again...

Meanwhile, Rihitel is attempting to ask Erika why she was with the humans so
long.  Margarette is just glad to see Erika again, and tries to tell Rihitel
that it's just as she said: she had suffered from amnesia.  Rihitel tells her
to butt out, and when Erika makes no response yells at her to just spit it out
already if she's done nothing wrong.  Bergan now tells Rihitel to stop, saying
that he should already know the reason for her silence.  Rihitel informs him
that this is his problem and tells him to butt out, but Bergan doesn't agree.
After all, Rihitel's sister has developed forbidden feelings towards the
enemy, and should word of it circulate throughout the troops morale could well
suffer.
 He would prefer if Rihitel took a more delicate tack with his sister, and
Rihitel yells back that he doesn't need him to tell him that.  Bergan figures
that this plays into his hands: Rihitel protecting his sister is a weakness he
can exploit.  Erika attempts to speak to her brother, but Rihitel yells at her
to shut up, that her love for the despicable enemy has made her no longer a
Barmian.  In fact, he plans to chop off her head on the spot, which she will
make no resistance to if that's what her brother wants.  Margarette then moves
to protect Erika, and Rihitel furiously orders her to move, saying that she
can't comprehend the hatred of one who's been betrayed by his own sister.  She
tells him again to stop - should his father see this scene...! She refuses to
move, and tells him that he's got to kill her first if that's what it'll take
to calm his anger.  She screams out that her care of Erika was deficient, and
yells for him to send her to Hell or to wherever he wishes.  Rihitel must kill
_her_ for Erika's momentary mistake, not Erika herself.  Rihitel, apparently
disgusted with the whole affair, tells her to do whatever she wants - BUT,
Erika, as a traitor, will never set foot outside the dungeon again until she
dies a traitor's death.  He tells all around that Erika is no longer any
relation of his - she is dead, DEAD!  Erika resolves herself to never see
Kazuya again, though she'll pray for his safety from afar.

Kazuya is NOT happy with what Pete calls the natural act of shooting an enemy
spy on the bridge during combat: just because she's a Barmian doesn't
automatically make her a spy!  Pete tells him he's incapable of rational
thought right now, and tells him to go outside the Taikuu Maryuu or something
and cool his head.  Megumi has to step in to stop Kazuya's response, which is
to punch Pete.  Pete sniffs that punches from someone who's blood has gone to
his head don't affect him, and poo-poo's Kazuya's karate.  NOW everyone in the
vicinity is required to restrain Kazuya, and Ken'ichi has to tell him that
going berserk here will solve nothing.  Kazuya demands to know if Ken'ichi
doubts Erika too, and Ken'ichi points out that, whether or not she's a spy,
she _is_ a Barmian - and does he think that trying to solve this by force
would really make her happy?  Kentarou concurs, telling Kazuya that if he
believes in her it's all the more reason to stay his hand... because violence
not only injures others, but also one's own heart.  Daimoji says that there's
not enough information available to settle the question of Erika's guilt.
However, violence against other crew members is inexcusable, and he orders
Kazuya to reflect on his misdeeds in his quarters.  After Kazuya walks off,
Sanshirou tells Pete that he went to far.  Pete informs him that information
about the Taikuu Maryuu has now leaked to the enemy, but Sanshirou counters
that, had she been a spy, shouldn't something more substantial have happened?
Pete is caught off guard by this, and Sakon recalls that except for the spare
Galvar that Erika escaped in, the Taikuu Maryuu has sustained no damage.  Pete
figures that a Galvar is more than enough, and says that all aliens are
untrustworthy.  Ken'ichi tells Pete that he's being too nearsighted: being born
on different planets doesn't erase the fact that people are still human.
Megumi realizes that Ken'ichi, as a half-Boazan, half-Earthling child would
like to believe in Erika too, and Pete says that if the Earthlings show pity to
the aliens, they're the ones who'll lose the fight... shouldn't Ken'ichi know
that as someone who fought his way through the Balmar War? Ken'ichi says that
even he doesn't expect to be able to get along with all the aliens out there,
but the Barm had come right to the stage of peaceful talks together.  Although
an unfortunate incident occurred, he doubts that the two sides are totally
incapable of accepting each other.  He actually thinks that Erika might just
be the bridge between the Barm and Earth...


Stage 16. Titaanzu no Bourei ("Ghosts of the Titans")

On Londinion, Anaheim seems to have sent less than half of the parts that your
people ordered, stranding Kou in the Stamen for a while.  Fa wonders if it'd
been better if Anaheim simply didn't send the Orchis or the nu-Gundam at all
then, and Camille reminds her that Amuro and Nina had said they wanted to make
final adjustments to them on the moon.  Unfortunately, aliens have appeared on
Mars, plus the Neo-Jion and Jupiterian remnants are getting frisky.  Londinion
is to become the center of a new Federation force, just like the last war.  Fa
and Camille manage to start arguing about Fa's complaints about the war and
Camille's feelings for Four, but Ema manages to interrupt them with some
actual business.  The advance elements of the Federation fleet are nearing
Londinion, and Amuro and Katsu are among them.  This means that all the members
who had headed to Anaheim are back, and more besides... though _not_ Quatro.

Bright is breaking the news to his men that he's being replaced as head of the
Lond Bel, which seems unthinkable to everyone except the top Federation brass,
who don't seem to like Bright very much.  Keith is frustrated at the injustice
of it all, but Burning says that complaining at this point will accomplish
nothing - you can do nothing but prepare for the upcoming showdown with the
Jion and Jupiter Empire forces.  Keith isn't exactly convinced, and really
wishes that Quatro was around to help out.

Burning has his men monitor the space around Londinion in preparation for the
new folks to arrive.  Keith wonders why this kind of guard is necessary for
the Lond Bel's home base, but Kou reminds him of the little incident at the
Trinton base.  Keith says that things are different now (for instance, the
GP-02 has been dismantled), but Kou says that his heart will never rest until
he settles the score with That Man.  Although Kou agrees with Keith's warning
not to get too obsessed, Burning figures that obsession is only natural: the
Nightmare of Solomon hasn't ended yet.  Burning confirms for Monsha that Bait
and Adel are coming back, and Monsha doesn't want them to know a little
something - but Bait appears and has heard it all long since: how Monsha lost
not only the piloting job of the -01, but the -03 _and_ its beautiful systems
engineer as well.  Looks like the immortal Squadron 4 is back together at last,
for all the tough love they seem to have for each other.  With them is
something that superficially looks like the nu-Gundam, except for its
coloration and use of the Incom System - it's the mass-production nu.  Camille
is overjoyed to see Amuro again, and Katsu is impressed at Camille's
identification of the mech on sight only.  Katsu is about to tell him how the
plans to mass produce the nu-Gundam and others are well underway, but Synapse
asks them to hold their reunion off until everyone is docked.  Synapse can see
through Burning's greeting that he's not happy about command of the Lond Bel
changing, but things are further interrupted by the arrival of the second wave
of Federation ships... earlier than expected.  Synapse orders their ID codes
rechecked and has a message sent to them to wait until Synapse's units have
docked.  He has Burning and Amuro wait in case a manual check with mobile suits
is necessary.  Keith is dismayed that Synapse suspects a ship from his own
army, but Burning says that Synapse is a very cautious man, who expects the
unexpected.  An lo and behold, the bad guys pop out and start blasting, led by
former Titan Yazan.
 Camille is astounded to see him still alive, but this shouldn't mean the
Titans are still around.  This doesn't seem like the work of a mole, or some
attempt by the top brass to get in the Lond Bel's way - Amuro figures it's
some third party, one who needs money and information, and _not_ the Jion.  And
not the Docougar either - someone closer: could it be Anahe...?!

  For a Skill Point, take down all other enemies before Yazan.

  When Amuro fights Yazan, he realizes that mere survivors of the Titans
  couldn't build such a thing - Anaheim must be behind it.  Yazan isn't
  saying, but he does note that he'll use anything and everything he has to to
  get the job done.  Yazan tells Camille that he doesn't give a damn about
  rebuilding the Titans - Jamitoff and Scirocco's ambitions mean nothing to
  him.  He only wants revenge on Camille, who weakened his powers.  Once he
  defeats the Lond Bel, he doesn't care what happens afterwards.  Yazan will
  tell Burning that he's one tough bastard, and when Kou says that he's
  surprised Yazan is still alive, Yazan informs him that he's not the only
  person Kou will end up saying that too...

  Dangel is worth a Magnetic Coating.  Ramses is worth a Dual Sensor.

  Yazan is worth a Costdown.  When you take him down, he tells his people
  that he's bought enough time here, and when Camille protests his running
  away he tells him not to worry - he'll torture him slowly, just like last
  time.  Amuro wonders what kind of time-buying is going on, and has the bad
  feeling that this is a foreshock of "that man" swinging into action.

Saegusa announces that everyone has been added to the staff.  Someone had
hacked the enemy ship's IFF code it seems.  Bright is worried about remnants of
the Titans, but more worried about the remnants of the Neo Jion.  Despite
Federation surveillance, they still have Axis as the heart of their power...
plus a few fleets here and there (like the Delaz Fleet).  At the very least,
Hamarn Kahn's faction at least seems to be quite alive and well.  Ema then
escorts Colonel Synapse and Captain Amuro in, to whom Major Bright formally
introduces himself and transfers command.  However, Synapse tells Bright that
he'd prefer to leave that command transfer as a formality _only_.  He explains
that he's a mere ship's captain, and someone discriminated against by the
upper brass as a member of the Gundam Project.  He has no intention of
displacing Bright as the commander of the Lond Bel, and will even take Bright's
orders.  He wryly notes that both Burning and Amuro highly value Bright's
abilities - there's no call for him to stick his nose in.  He cites the Lond
Bel's legendary deeds to forestall Bright's objections, and notes with some
irony that those accomplishments can't be good for Bright's family life with
all the getting sent to the front lines.  Bright finally smiles and says that
his family has been placated by the long "vacation" he got after the Aegis
Project was over.  Synapse tells Bright to be sure to value his family, which
makes Burning get introspective...  Amuro asks Bright if Quatro's whereabouts
have been discovered yet, and when Bright replies in the negative Amuro figures
that it's only a matter of time until Neo Jion swings into full gear.  Synapse
figures that it's time to act first then, announcing that he'll pursue the
Neo-Jion remnants while Bright is to assemble a fleet here on Londinion.
Amuro likes this plan, which should draw the Neo-Jion's attention at the front
and let the rest of the Lond Bel move more easily behind Synapse's shield.
Amuro is planning on sortying himself, since presumably "he" wants it that
way.  Synapse is hoping that your people can rendezvous with the Taikuu Maryuu
and figure out a way to stop the Neo-Jion and Jupiterians in one fell swoop.

Elsewhere, a shadowy figure is thanking Yazan for his work - things should be
off to a great start.  Whoever this man is wants Yazan to gather some info
about Neo-Jion and the Jupiterians, which makes Yazan scoff: he's heard some
rumors about this guy and some dealings he had with Cima in the previous war.
Yazan doesn't like the way the man professes no knowledge, and tells the man,
who's done a bit of checking around himself, to keep his quest for extra money
under control... lest he get burned by something far worse than the GP-02...
Yazan is willing to put up with all of this in order to get back at Camille.


Stage 17. Futari no Himegimi ("Two Princesses")

The Taikuu Maryuu has made it back to Earth, and is about to rendezvous with
the Albion.  Pete asks what should be done with the civilians aboard the Mother
Vanguard, and Garrison offers to send them to Earth in his Masa'a Rocket.  Pete
wants the ID of the civilians checked again, lest more spies like Erika slip
through.  Midori tells him that he's harping on Erika too much, but Pete says
that it's an undeniable fact that Erika was from the enemy side.  In addition,
although Vera Rona seems to be in command of the Crossbone Vanguard, there
could be something of a revolt should her control over them falter.  Daimoji
makes no response, and the rest of the crew figure that their lack of further
enemy confrontations are scant comfort.  There's still the subterranean enemies
to worry about, as well as the off-world threats, plus Orphan.  Most of your
people are very glad to meet up with Amuro and the Lond Bel crew, but Pete
worries that that joining up will lead to even further increases in the number
of enemies you face.

The female crew members, meanwhile, are marveling in the Taikuu Maryuu's
bathhouse, richly appointed.  Kusuha takes a bit of ribbing for the long baths
(i.e. _two_ to _three_ hours) she takes, and the ladies insinuate that taking
baths that long in combination with a certain time of the month is a sure
formula for passing out (Irui is pleasantly clued out).  Meanwhile, Sanshirou
and the kiddies pile in, rather sweaty from a bout of baseball practice.  It
seems that wherever the kids go, the adults try to put them through the works,
so Kusuha offers to loan them her EXTENSIVE (and likely pricey) array of
exercise gear.  As the boys resolve to get themselves into shape, Irui tells
them not to push too hard - looks like she's getting more sociable by the day.

Tobia is getting defensive at Noin's efforts to investigate Bernadette's past.
Noin patiently explains that all the civilians are getting checked, given the
examples of Erika and Kalas.  As Tobia continues trying to protest, Bernadette
thanks him for his efforts, but says that as a Jupiterian it's only natural
that she'd be suspected.  She agrees to undergo the same background check as
everyone else, and goes with Noin to Vera.  Tobia realizes full well that this
isn't the sort of circumstances where people can pussyfoot around this kind of
issue, given the impending Jupiter Ian attack.  But was his saving of
Bernadette mere self-righteousness?  If so, the same goes for the crew of the
Taikuu Maryuu, and Zabiine shows up to agree with him.  While he concurs with
Vera's plans to strike the Jupiterians and plans to go along with your
people's operations, he doesn't like the overall strategic direction the
conflict is taking.  Tobia is rather disconcerted by this, given that he never
_spoke_ any of this.  Zabiine tells him that if he really wants to end this
war, he should strike the enemy decisively, and without delay.  This would also
have the effect of minimizing the damages.  As Tobia runs off, Zabiine figures
that if he's going to restrain Vera and that girl, now is the only time.

Hiiro and Trowa have caught the scent of something about to happen.  Hiiro
asks Kincaidu who's with Vera right now - Umon and Quatre at the moment.
Trowa tells him that something isn't right aboard the Mother Vanguard: several
people are away from their posts.  In fact, Zabiine and said people mutiny.
He tells Vera that he's not betraying her: his objective from the very outset
was reestablishing the Cosmo Babylonia royal line.  In fact, if anyone is doing
the betraying, Zabiine figures it's her, for using her royal heritage as an
excuse to mobilize resources without any intentions of reestablishing the
nation.  While she may have seen it as fighting fire with fire...  she cuts him
off, demanding what he intends to do, hijack the Mother Vanguard and fight both
the Jupiterians and the Federation?  Zabiine says that if he made the
Jupiterians his enemy defeat is assured, and his wishes won't be fulfilled.
Instead, he intends to drag Vera along and take over the Jupiterians... and he
doesn't care if he has to kill Quatre and Umon to achieve it.  Moreover, he
approves of what the Jupiter Empire is doing, since from his perspective the
Federation has to be defeated sooner or later anyway.  Zabiine has been
impressed by how well the Jupiter Empire soldiers follow orders, how readily
they risk their lives, how close their society is to a true aristocracy...  and
any small deviations from that ideal can be fixed once he gets inside.  Though
Vera isn't down with being an empress, Zabiine informs her that there are very
many people willing to lay down their lives for her in battle: that's the very
definition of an aristocracy.  As Scirocco once said, she's the sort of woman
fit to rule the new world order.  As Vera pooh-poohs this notion, Zabiine tells
her that he'll take his time and gradually change her mind.  He then has her
follow him...

Rasheed notifies Daimoji of the Zabiine-led revolt, and Daimoji has the Taikuu
Maryuu sortie people immediately.  Kincaidu blames himself for letting this
happen and not being able to prevent it, and Tobia demands that the two girls
be given back.  Vera says that she's more than enough and demands that
Bernadette be released, but Zabiine has a reason he brought her along.  Hiiro
wants to surround Zabiine's mech before anything messy happens, since he
surely hasn't done this without some kind of plan.  When Vera tells Zabiine
that the Jupiter Empire will never accept him, he informs her that their
minimum condition for doing so was handing over Bernadette.  Just then lots of
Jupiter Empire forces appear.  This is doubly bad because it means that not
only has Zabiine planned this well, the Jupiterians have already infiltrated
the Earth Sphere.  And hey, maybe the Neo-Jion even helped them out.  With
that, Zabiine prepares to take these "two princesses" back to the Jupiter
Empire forces, telling your people to back off if they want them to stay
healthy.  Anna Marie asks if Zabiine really intends to go through with this,
and whether or not Vera is the summit of aristocracy isn't about to see him
hand them over to the Jupiter Empire.  She tells a surprised Zabiine that the
Jupiter Empire might well destroy the Earth itself, not just its governmental
system, and she'll be damned if she'll help with something like that.  Zabiine
figures there's more to it than just that, and thought he already taught her
that humans who can't control their emotions are mere trash.  Anna Marie tells
him that he, a dreaming fool who's would rule mankind under some trumped-up
title is in no position to say that to her, and he resolves to try his utmost
to steal the princesses back.  Tobia isn't about to let that happen, and it
appears that he can actually anticipate Zabiine's moves.  Vera orders Anna
Marie to leave this one to Tobia and return to the Mother Vanguard at once,
which Anna Marie crisply complies with.  Kalas is not too happy with this
failure to haul in Vera, and Giri, who figures everyone other than Jupiterians
are worthless, wasn't expecting much anyway.  Kalas would be satisfied if Lady
Tetenas is safe, and Giri decides to buy time with his "Death Brigade" - which
will also fulfill their promise to the Neo-Jion.  Zabiine is now actually
pissed off, but Kalas tells him to withdraw to protect the princess and the
information he carries.  Zabiine figures he has no other choice...

  For a Skill Point, shoot down Zabiine.

  When Tobia fights Zabiine, he tells Zabiine to go to the Jupiter Empire
  alone if he wants, but to give back Bernadette.  Zabiine asks if he knows
  who Bernadette really is: someone far beyond Tobia's reach!  When you take
  down the X2, Zabiine realizes he has no choice but to flee for now, but he
  tells Kincaidu that he'll settle the score with him sooner or later.

  If Kincaidu fights Giri, he'll get told that he's shown too much of his
  fighting style to the Jupiter Empire forces.  His and his companions mecha
  were built from studying how Kincaidu and the Crossbone people fight.

  Rosemarie is worth a Booster.  Giri is worth a Biosensor.  When you down him,
  he figured this was a good test of his side's mecha.  He hopes to see you
  again - if you live long enough.

There's no more sign of the enemy, including the X2.  Pete is convinced this
happened because of letting former enemies into your confidence.  Tobia is
most sad that Bernadette has been carted off, but glad that Vera at least is
safe.  Just then the Masa'a Rocket and the Albion show up...

Anna Marie tells Vera that she had known nothing of the mutiny beforehand: she
was merely following Zabiine's orders.  Umon wants to know from Anna Marie why
Zabiine betrayed them, given that she's been his subordinate since the Cosmo
Babylonia days.  Anna Marie can say only that her former captain couldn't bear
the collapse of the nobility system, and Vera won't press the topic.  She
values the fact that Anna Marie chose your people's side over Zabiine, and
hopes that she continues her good work as part of Vera's crew.  However, Vera
strictly prohibits any attempt to pursue Zabiine individually - he's far too
dangerous during his current singleminded pursuit of his ideals.  Anna Marie
knows nothing of Zabiine's reason for taking Bernadette other than that he
called her a "princess" - Umon wonders what this could mean, though Vera has a
suspicion.  Tobia is doing the best he can to handle Bernadette's
disappearance, and Kincaidu tells Tobia that if he wants to get Bernadette
back with his own hands, he'll gladly drill MS piloting technique into him.
Vera is worried about dragging yet one more child into this war, but Tobia
notes that he's already in this far - backing out would just make things worse
for him.  Vera tries to tell him to return to his family, but Tobia says his
adopted parents won't mourn for him overlong, especially with their son Gil.

Some of your pilots are scoping out the Crossbone Gundam, a rather impressive
beast that came at the price of more work for the pilots on the remaining
mecha Anaheim wasn't servicing.  There are even rumors that Anaheim gave some
MSs to the Neo-Jion, which Katsu says aren't just rumors.  The two sets of
pilots then have their reunion, although Amuro says that it'll still take some
time before your warpower is what it was during the previous war.  He tells
Kincaidu that Judou and friends are out scouting Neo-Jion's movements - by
themselves.  Amuro figured it was either let them go, or risk them simply
making off with a Gundam without telling him.

The news gets broken to Tetsuya that Quatro really has gone missing.  Noone
can discount the possibility of him having returned to Jion... in which case
the Red Comet might be back for revenge.  Four and Camille meet for the first
time since the Balmar War, though Fa's [stoned-looking] gaze is apparently
putting a damper on the reunion.  In any case, Synapse passes down the
suggestion that your new, unified squadron needs a new unified name.  Something
that rolls off the tongue better than Taikuu Maryuu, Lond Bel, Space Pirates
and Associates, Incorporated, in any case. ^_^  Banjou speaks up to make sure
the new name doesn't turn out to be Kouji and his Merry Men, which apparently
Kouji was _actually_ thinking of.  As many of your people demonstrate all their
bad ideas, Tetsuya proposes "Scramble Knights", which Kouji likes though he
suspects he's heard it before.  Amuro says that he's so used to "Lond Bel"
that he can't think anything else up.  Kincaidu comes up with "Alpha Numbers",
which Pete condenses to "Alpha Squadron", wanting to know what "alpha" means.
Kincaidu says that it means a "great, awesome first step", as well as a
quantity of unknown extent.  Banjou likes this, and suggests that you pick it
absent any other suggestions.  Kincaidu suggests that you check with Kusuha
first, who's been quiet all this time.  Unfortunately, Kusuha has been so busy
listening to everyone else that she hasn't thought up anything herself.  Under
the pressure of the moment, she mentions the name of some exercise gear she's
always wanted, and the rest of the pilots tell her to take her time.

  You get the GP-01Fb, and the opportunity to name your team.

Under this name will you fight all the enemies of the Earth.  Synapse is
counting on everyone in what promises to be an increasingly fierce battle.

Elsewhere, beyond the Moon's orbit, Dugachi has comprehended the motives of a
certain shadowy figure, and as promised will offer the Jupiter Empire's full
support.  He wonders, however, what his former comrades on the tenth planet
will think once they learn that this figure has stood up as representative.
The figure says that if Dugachi doubts his resolve, he'll nullify the alliance
on the spot.  Dugachi explains that he was joking, having come to doubt the
doings of others in his old age.  The figure wants to get ready to assume
control quickly, since in his experience all these different adversaries
converging is the prelude to something big.  Dugachi will take that under
advisement, as the figure ends the transmission.  Bernadette thinks she
recognizes the speaker, and Dugachi asks if she's feeling poorly.  Bernadette
has no use for dolls, and tells him to bring out her real father.  He tells
her that he _is_ her real father, and defies her to prove otherwise.  Or
rather, or rather, can she discern between the multiple robotic copies she sees
before her?  They collectively explain that they all are Cracks Dugachi, or
more properly something closer to the real him than his fleshly body.  There
are in total nine of them, asking her what she wants of them - freedom?  She
asks them to stop the invasion of the Earth, saying that even if the invasion
is motivated by the desire to give the Jovians a genuine homeland, it can't be
correct.  The copies of her father laugh mockingly, noting that she apparently
didn't understand the conference call she just saw... but her reaction is not
surprising, considering that that's what all the Jupiter Empire people have
been taught.  Dugachi then asks her what she's breathing right now - what she
drinks when she asks for a glass of water.  There is not a _single_ thing here
brought from Earth: _everything_ can be made synthetically.  In which case!
There isn't much point in messing with the Earth, is there? Dugachi tells
"Tetenis" that he neither loves her nor cares where or how she dies.  However,
without her by his side, certain people would start getting suspicious... and
Dugachi commands her not to stray.  She asks him what he's trying to do, and
he impatiently reminds her that, as he said before, the rulership of mankind
has nothing to do with the Earth.


Stage 18. Ososugita Oiuchi ("Pursuit Too Late")

Riliina tells Hiiro that she's returning with the Martian refugees, to help
them and to make sure that relations with Jupiter don't stay as they are now.
Hiiro tells her not to overdo it, which she responds back in kind.  Once the
Masa'a Rocket is on its way back to Londinion, Synapse orders the Alpha Numbers
to begin its mission of taking out the remainder of the Neo-Jion survivors.
Judou and the others have missed a regularly-scheduled contact point, and Amuro
wonders if something has happened to them.

Puru2 is negotiating with the bad guys, claiming that she's been held hostage
by the Lond Bel all this time, and has finally run away now that the Neo-Jion
are in action.  And she's brought a dowry of sorts: her Quberay Mk.II.  Judou
wants to know why she's betrayed you, and Puru2 claims to hold the real Puru
hostage as she tells Judou to stay back.  Rezun isn't impressed, and tells you
all to cut out this elaborate ruse.  As lots of bad guys show up, Beecher's
rather foolish plan to infiltrate the Neo-Jion seems to have crashed and
burned.  At least nobody is trying to blame Puru2 for bad acting.  Beecher
reminds everyone that he's the leader that Bright chose for this mission, and
at Judou's insistence tells everyone to attack since there's no way to run
away.  Rezun warns her men not to wipe the kiddies out until their prey comes
and takes the bait.

  For a Skill Point, take out eight enemy units in two turns.  This is the
  first Skill Point in the game that truly require some finesse - feel good
  about yourself if you can nab it. ^_^  (And in fact you should be able to
  take out more like ten enemies by the end of turn two...)

  When you get the Skill Point or at the beginning of turn 3 a battleship
  approaches the battle.  It's in fact Amuro and the crew to the rescue, and
  for some reason Rezun thinks she's got you where she wants you...

  Rezun is worth a Chobham Armor.

Judou is very grateful for you all saving his ass, though he notes that Sea-
he means Kincaidu have aged since he saw them last.  He notes that, what with
the dragon and pirate ship and all, the Lond Bel have become more like some
traveling circus.  Kincaidu says gravely that the visual "Impact" is more
important than it might seem at first, and Duo quickly sees through the faulty
plan of Beecher's to infiltrate the Neo-Jion.  In fact, about all they learned
is that the Neo-Jion have made contact with Jupitoris.  Judou isn't sure why
this gets your people worked up, but as they're about to explain to him Umon
comes in with some dreadful news: Char Aznable, the Red Comet, is broadcasting
an address to the whole Earth Sphere.

Coming live and direct to you from Side 3, Sweet Water Colony, it's Char
Aznable!  He explains that taking over Sweet Water was not intended to cause
more chaos in the Earth Sphere, but rather to save all the refugees made by the
last war and grant true independence to all those oppressed by the Federation
government.  As a first step, he requests the right to self-governance from the
Federation.  In return, he promises that the Neo-Jion will serve as the
vanguard of the Earth's defenses - and to make such arrangements, he wants the
Federation officials to come negotiate with him as equals.  He says that his
people are prepared to enact their demands by force should the Federation not
accept them outright.

Tetsuya explains to a frantic Kouji that Quatro was the forgotten shadow of
Jion Daikun - and now he's returned to his proper place.  Or rather, as Camille
points out, he's no longer Quatro at all, but rather Char Aznable, the leader
of Neo-Jion.  Synapse receives confirmation that this broadcast really is
coming from Sweet Water... meaning his attack against Neo-Jion came too late.
Amuro knew this day was coming ever since Char's disappearance, and Char's
curiosity about the internals of Federation government and his desire to stop
mankind repeating its past mistakes are well known.  But why _now_, and why
Jion, Kouji wants to know.  Amuro says that Char has chosen a different path
than your people to prevent the tragedy ahead, and at least Char presumably
believes his path has a higher chance of success.  That path amounts to the
elimination of Earthnoids, which means that you've got to stop him...  that's
the bottom line, as Amuro explains to Kouji.  Ryouma wonders if Char really
wants the peaceful talks he mentioned, and Amuro figures that he at least
halfway must.  But given that Char has claimed the name of Jion for himself, he
must be prepared for the absolute worst.  And unfortunately, the cards aren't
right for you to just attack Sweet Water now: doing so would turn public
opinion against your team, given Char's ostensible request for peace talks.
Amuro explains to Keats that the Federation doesn't have the guts to stand up
to Char's demands at the moment - and Char, knowing the aliens are coming, is
also unlikely to expend his warpower needlessly.  As such, your team should
fortify itself while it can, against the eventual showdown when things fall
apart.  Synapse agrees entirely, and directs the fleet to return to Londenion
for resupply.  Amuro thinks that Char is in too much of a hurry to find his
answer... and your people can't all his resolution to prevail.

Char thanks Gatou for taking over Sweet Water.  Gatou is grateful for the
props, but says that he's been devoted to the Jionian ideals ever since before
Delaz picked him up at A Bao A Qu.  However, he wants to hear Char's resolve
with his own ears: the use of the former Titans, Jupiter forces, etc.  etc.
has him plainly worried, and he's not afraid to say so to Char's face.  Nanai
is about to upbraid Gatou for his rudeness, but Char says his doubts are quite
reasonable.  He explains to Gatou that during his time in the Lond Bel, he saw
firsthand how the Federation government runs things, and concluded that the
Feds are incapable of guiding the Earth Sphere in a positive direction.  Thus,
he plans to sever everything that weighs human souls down, and plans to stop
at nothing in achieving that goal.  He's even willing to assume the weight of
his father's legacy, saying that when the time is fulfilled he's sure he'll be
gathered to where his father is.  Gatou is more than satisfied with this, and
pledges himself fully to his new leader, for which Char thanks him.  Zechs
realizes that if Char wasn't serious about this, he wouldn't be able to stir
the hearts of men like Gatou.  Moreover, he took Zechs in, and gave the
Gundams to Hiiro and the others... it seems he really does intend to settle any
and all remaining scores.

  You get a Minovsky Craft, three Dust Filters, two Screw Modules, a Propellant
  Tank, a Cartridge, and a Repair Kit.


Stage 18. "Kaerubeki Basho" ("Somewhere to Return To")

Adenauer is having you all head to Japan, since Miwa claims to be short-handed
against the advance elements of the Barm who have landed there.  This sounds
like big trouble, and Daimoji wants to know how the heck the Barmians pulled
this off without registering on your sensors.  Apparently even the Albion is
to be sent to the scene, since Miwa has made things sound like an emergency.
Synapse doesn't like being used as a bargaining chip by people who value their
position over military expediency.  Bright wishes Adenauer luck in negotiating
with Char, and Adenauer tells him to leave it to him.  Adenauer thinks he
should have no problems with char, and tells Bright that, unlike you people,
he actually has plans beyond just making war.

Your people aren't thrilled to get sent away from Londenion so quickly, and
are also not very enthusiastic about the peace talks with Char.  Amuro figures
that with the aliens on the scene, Char should try to stall for time as well -
there should therefore be some time before Neo-Jion does anything else.  But
when he _does_ act, it will presumably be with something very definitive - like
the orbital bombardment, mass hypnosis-inducing Psycommu, or colony drop
incidents from before.  Since Bright won't be part of the dispatch to the
Earth, Amuro tells him that he'll go and try to do whatever he can to help
until Char's motives become clear.  Bright gives him a message for his wife, to
"please look after the kids".

Rihitel has set up a base on the ocean floor, and informs his lord that he's
preparing to strike one of the vitals points of Earth's defenses: the Far East.
 Olban isn't happy to hear that things are behind schedule, and when Rihitel
tries to explain that there's a large, mysterious object on the ocean floor
that's held things up Olban replies curtly that he doesn't want to hear
anything but a message proclaiming victory, especially over that Taikuu Maryuu.
 Rihitel buys this, and starts yelling at his subordinates to find out what's
going on with the Taikuu Maryuu.  Balbas informs him that it's landed on the
ocean near the Far East - great timing as far as Rihitel can see.  Bergan
offers to conduct the cleanup, as do Balbas and Raiza, but Rihitel has already
summoned the person entrusted with that responsibility: Garnier Hareck, the
martial arts instructor.  Rihitel's subordinates are plainly dubious that this
guy can cut the mustard, but Rihitel tells them to shut up: who do they think
is in charge?  He further demands to know whether Balbas thinks Barm weaponry
is inferior to Earth stuff, and when Balbas stammers "no" he says that he must
therefore conclude that the Barmian losses are due to differences in the skill
of the pilots.  Bergan realizes that Rihitel plans to go from automated weapons
to manned ones.  Rihitel asks whether Hareck loves Barm, and asks him to devote
his martial arts skill to the cause by piloting Barm's greatest combat robot.
His mission: take out the pivot of the enemy's warpower: Deimos [GOD is this
guy delusional if he thinks that POS is the center of my operations].  Hareck
accepts, though under the condition that, as a warrior, he plans to fight fair
and square.  Rihitel is satisfied with this, and tells him that should he win
he'll be made Rihitel's second in command.  Hareck refuses that, saying he
wants nothing more than for his people to be happy.  Rihitel finds Hareck's
lack of ambition very inspirational or entertaining, and commands him to go
forth.  Raiza is quite worried that her job is up for grabs, but Bergan tells
her that he will personally make her worries go away.

Jonathan has heard that the Taikuu Maryuu, and thus Isami Yuu, are back on
Earth.  Quincy says it's obvious what to do next: the traitor must be
eliminated.  She orders the Grangers to be sortied, but her father tells her
to wait: there's also reports of an alien space ship touching down in the
Pacific Ocean.  He tells her to avoid unnecessary waste, and to continue
guarding Orphan.  Quincy demands to know how Kyuusaku intends to explain Yuu's
reappearance to Governor, and he informs her that his words also reflect
Governor's decision.  Kanan meanwhile is being sent to pick up a certain
something: a datafile in bottom of a drawer in her house back in Japan.  Misa
doubts anyone would have found it in such an old, plain-sight kind of hiding
place.  Misa tells Kanan that she can take any clothing she likes from the
dresser in the process.  Jonathan realizes that Yuu may show up at his old
house too, and decides to have Shiela follow Kanan.

Your ships have arrived safely on Earth, and Daimoji orders course set for the
Far East base.  Kentarou plans to head to Deimovic first to take care of some
adjustments and to pick up a new weapon that Sakon was working on.  He turns
down Ken'ichi's offer of escort, saying that it would never do for Voltes not
to be able to sortie.  Yuu meanwhile has secured Daimoji's permission to go
back to his house.  Hiroshi isn't impressed with what he calls a bout of
homesickness, and trusts that Yuu isn't planning on ditching you all there.
Yuu points out that had he intended to do so, he'd have done it before going
to Mars, and inquires if Hiroshi isn't the homesick one around here.  He
calmly tells the volatile Hiroshi that his family won't be waiting for him:
with the exception of his grandma, all of them are in Orphan.  Plus, Yuu says,
Hiroshi isn't the only one subjected to his parents' whims.  Hiroshi digests
this, and finally smiles and apologizes for his unkind words.  In any event,
Yuu's going home to fulfill a promise - and NOT a promise to Kanan, as he
heatedly tells Hime.  In which case, Hime says that she'll accompany him -
she's curious about the place he grew up, and figures it'll be safer in
numbers.

Hime is impressed with Yuu's hometown, which doesn't seem to have been caught
up in the fighting yet.  Yuu realizes that Orphan must know of the Alpha
Numbers' return to Earth, in which case Kanan will too.  As Yuu notes that
nothing has changed at his home since back when, he detects Kanan's Granger's
signature approaching - she did remember the promise with him.  There's lots of
vegetables here, but they haven't been tended - something must have happened to
Yuu's grandma.

Kanan finds the file she was looking for, but upon going through Misa's
clothes notes sadly that they don't feel like those of a "mother".
Nonetheless, the clothes themselves had once encircled a woman's body...
reminding her again that she's never been loved, since birth.

Hime and Yuu note that nobody seems to be home - Yuu's grandmother cleared out
two months ago.  Just then, Kanan appears on the scene in a traditional
kimono, and Yuu asks if she's remembered her promise.  Kanan says that she's
here on Orphan business.. plus, this isn't quite the agreed-upon meeting spot.
Yuu once again urges Kanan to leave Orphan, saying that all the others are
even more ensnared by it than she is - just like little kids.  Kanan asks if
leaving home because you didn't get your way isn't even more childlike, but Yuu
says that he's realized the fallacy of Orphan: that only the chosen can
survive.  Surely, surely it can't be right for only the Reclaimers to survive
what is to come.  Yuu realizes the first time he piloted a Brain Powerd, when
whatever wasn't working right for him at Orphan worked correctly.  Kanan says
that, unlike him, she has nowhere else to return to... just then Hime
interrupts, demanding to know what Kanan is to Yuu: his sister?  His lover?
Just then, explosions interrupt their quarrel.

It's Shiela, who doesn't seem to realize that this is no place for a fight.
Kanan and Shiela start arguing immediately, with Kanan claiming that she was
trying to bring Yuu back.  Shiela tells her that Yuu is in her and Jonathan's
way, and that orders Kanan to die along with him.  Yuu finally raises his
voice, yelling at Kanan that *this* is what happens to the residents of
Orphan.
 Just then, Kanan's Granger freezes: the Rejection that Yuu had faced before.
Shiela triumphantly exclaims that she's been cast off by her Granger, and
proceeds to blast her Granger to smithereens.  Yuu tries to force his way past
Shiela and go to Kanan's rescue, but Hime makes it first.  Actually, it was
her Brain that did it: it's telling Hime that Kanan isn't a Reclaimer.  Shiela
is still determined to take Yuu down, but the arrival of the rest of your crew
makes that somehow unlikely...

In fact, she flees outright (disappointing Kazuya), and Kanan agonizes to Yuu
that she doesn't know what's right.  Yuu tells her that before she worries
about right and wrong, she's got to think about what the meaning of the world
itself is.  Kanan wonders if he's talking about stopping beating herself up
inwardly over her lack of motherly love, but Yuu says that simply meant that
he's very happy for not having had to fight her.  She goes "duh" and says
she's happy too [who writes this junk?  Oh, Tomino?  Figures.]  As Yuu drops
Kanan off in your mothership at Kazuya's suggestion, the Barm attack.

  The first things Hareck does is contact Kazuya and challenge him to a duel,
  one on one.  You have the choice of whether or not to accept.  If you accept,
  the two combatants go where the won't be disturbed.  Hareck thanks Kazuya
  for accepting the challenge, though Kazuya is planning on taking him down
  so he doesn't need the thanks.  Raiza, seeing that Hareck will get rid of
  Deimos, orders her forces to attack everyone else.  She's slightly worried
  that Bergan is off on his own - what could he be scheming?

  The Skill Point for this match comes from taking everyone else down before
  Hareck.

  As Hareck and Kazuya fight, they both compliment each other on their
  fighting skills, Hareck praising the god of battle for the chance to face
  such an opponent.

Hareck is very impressed that you've managed to beat him, but it's not over
yet.  Raiza, noting that the operation has failed, orders her troops to pull
out.  Just then the Scarlook appears and blasts Kazuya from behind - was this
really a trap after all?  Hareck orders Bergan to stop, saying that he lost
fair and square and that he won't allow Bergan to lay a finger on him.  Bergan
says that victory is all that matters, and that there's no better time to
attack Deimos after the wounds he sustained fighting Hareck.  Hareck is furious
at this gross disregard for the hearts of warriors, but Bergan tells him that
if he interferes he'll take him down too, as a traitor.  In fact, he goes and
shields Kazuya from Bergan's attack, getting badly damaged in the process.  He
tells Bergan that he'll be damned if he lets Bergan soil the manly duel that he
and Kazuya fought.  Bergan resolves to take them both out at once, but Hareck
says that he won't allow Kazuya to be killed, and _rams_ the Scarlook.  Bergan,
astounded, has no choice but to pull out.

Your people marvel at this display of valor and chivalry, even from the enemy.
Kazuya calls Hareck a true samurai, and then notices something.  Hareck managed
to eject, and Kazuya goes over to him in Deimos.  After names are exchanged,
Hareck tells Kazuya that the two are enemies: kill him, capture him, do as he
pleases.  Kazuya will do neither, since their duel has been interrupted.
Besides, he has to thank Hareck for saving his life.  Hareck says that that's
his line, but Kazuya's companions are coming.  Kazuya tells Hareck to leave
this to him and flee, promising to finish their duel one way or another next
time they meet.  Kazuya smiles and tells him to heal his wounds by then.
Hareck really likes Kazuya's spirit, and can now understand full well while
Erika fell in love with him.  Hareck leaves with a promise to repay this debt,
and Kazuya looks forward to their next battle.  Kazuya will not deny his deed
to Pete, saying that he can't treat someone who saved his life as an enemy.
Besides, he was a proud warrior - he would likely choose death over revealing
information during interrogation.  Pete yells at him to open his eyes -
sympathy for the enemy aliens is nothing but fantasy.  Kazuya acknowledges that
his father was indeed killed by the Barm - but he can't see all of them as
being bad.  Pete, upon hearing that Kazuya still loves Erika, furiously
demands to know if Kazuya showed the same pity to the alien who just fled, and
Sanshirou interrupts, telling him that this is something people outside the
one on one duel wouldn't understand.  Pete yells at him in turn to cut out the
irresponsible crap - doesn't he realize that he's a warrior supposed to
protect the Earth?  Sanshirou says he damn well does, and he doesn't need Pete
to tell him it either.  He then questions Pete's indiscriminate branding of all
aliens as enemies, noting that that makes Pete no better than those same aliens
who indiscriminately attacked first.  Pete digests this for a moment and then
says that talking to them is a waste of his time, and he'll report all this to
Daimoji.  Kazuya tells him to go right ahead - he doesn't think his actions
were wrong.  Fang Lee notes that both sides are right in this case, and thus
friction is inevitable.

Kanan has been considerably strained by the Rejection, and will require quite
a bit of rest.  Yuu tells her that she doesn't have to go back to Orphan or
ride in Antibodies anymore.  Kanan can understand how Yuu would want to get
away from his parents once he got his free will back, but what about Orphan's
objective, to make all mankind obey it?  And yet, it was the only place that
Kanan felt at peace; she was anxious everywhere else she went.  Yuu tells her
that that was her mother's anxiety speaking - she ought to live under her own
will.  She figures there's no way she can do that, but Yuu disagrees, saying
that that was why he acted.  He tells her that the Novus Noa would surely take
her in - he himself intends to continue working with the Alpha Numbers as the
only way to stop the Reclaimers.  They think that genes and memories are
everything, why then do people value the world?  Kanan notes that Orphan is
supposed to correct that mistake, but Yuu says that that's wrong - there's
some sort of curse on Orphan.  In any event, she should take her time and
think about where she can return to.  Outside the room, two of the kiddies are
satisfied that everything is okay, and take off running, prompting a round of
commentary from the two other Brain pilots.

Raiza is most displeased with Bergan's actions, which caught someone on their
side up in the fighting.  Bergan asks if that wasn't in fact her wish - given
that Hareck threatened her second-in-command position.  He tells her that
she's beautiful when she's angry - this is far more "her" than the warm glaces
at Rihitel he sees her casting.  She furiously asks if he's insulting her, but
Rihitel shows up and tells them that if they've got time to quarrel, they'd
better get to work on the next operation.  Just then, word comes in that
Hareck has returned.  Bergan is surprised that Hareck survived the blast, and
even more surprised that he managed to make it safely back from the battle
zone, and Rihitel orders Balbas to bring him here immediately.  Rihitel is glad
to see Hareck back, but Hareck immediately begs Rihitel's forgiveness for his
failure and disgraceful return.  Rihitel has heard of Hareck's valor from
Raiza, and tells him not to worry about it... nor will he hold him responsible
for the incident with Bergan.  Rihitel tells him that he'll have another chance
to take Kazuya's head eventually, and has him go and rest himself for now.
Hareck has a request before he complies - stop the fight with the Earthlings.
Surely, the Earthlings will listen to reason, and he implores Rihitel to treat
with them once more.  Rihitel calls him a fool and punches him, daring him to
say that again.  Hareck will say it as often as Rihitel wants: there are other
ways besides hating and killing each other.  Rihitel demands to know how Hareck
can say that in light of what happened to his father, and and Hareck says that
at the very least not _all_ Earthlings are like that, and that goes for Kazuya
too.  He openly tells Rihitel that Kazuya is enough of a man to merit Erika's
attentions towards him.  Rihitel can't believe that Hareck is spouting this
stuff too, and orders him thrown in the dungeon as well, never to appear or
even be mentioned to him again.

Erika has meanwhile been locked away in the dungeon long enough to lose track
of time, thinking only of Kazuya.  Just then Hareck knocks on her cell,
introducing himself.  He tells her that it would take too long to explain why
Rihitel through him, a trusted friend, into the dungeon, but tells her that he
met Kazuya.  Kazuya is the greatest man that he's ever met, and is sure that
Kazuya won't be defeated easily.  Hareck thinks that if the Earth's nobility
were like Kazuya, this battle would be over by now.  Erika agrees, but there's
little they can do while they're in the dungeon.  Hareck, with a big debt to
repay to Kazuya, vows to bring Erika safely to him - so, she mustn't throw
away hope.  Erika agrees, saying that she'll keep praying for him until that
day.


Stage 20. Bokoku no Hokori wo Kaketa Yuushi ("A Hero who Risked the Pride of
  his Motherland")

Kusuha remembers back to the last time she saw Britto.  He was planning on
heading to Tesla Raihi to get Oomiya's help in understanding more about the
Choukijin.  Those two machines have been under military lockdown since the
Balmar War, but according to Britto they up and disappeared one day.  Kusuha
is impressed that neither they nor the Titans know of the Choukijin's
whereabouts, and that's why Britto wants to know more about their past; why
they were created.  He feels that if he can found out even a little bit more
he'll be able to see them again.  Britto tells Kusuha to pursue her dream of
being a doctor, but promises her that he'll come and pick her up should
anything happen - with the Choukijin in tow.

Actually, it's Britto remembering that.  Apparently whatever brainwashing has
taken over him since meeting the black Ko-Ou-Ki and coming to his "lord"'s
place isn't entirely complete.  Whoever that lord is tells him not to doubt,
for he is the protector of the Earth.  And Britto, having inherited his strong
will, is one of this protector's chosen few.  He commands the many swords to
gather unto him, that the world may be protected.  His power is for you all.
His power is to protect the planet.  Britto can't seem to resist...

Balbas has some very bad news for Rihitel: minister Melby has been sent from
Little Barm to the undersea castle.  This is Olban's nephew, and it's highly
unusual for him to show up without advance warning.  Perhaps he's here to
observe on behalf of Olban, who may be getting impatient with the slow pace of
the invasion.  Bergan figures that that's his roll, and ponders how the only
rumors he's heard of this Melby describe him as a good-for-nothing drunkard -
if so, why is he here?

Melby does in fact seem rather drunk, and when Rihitel asks politely why he's
come to Earth, Melby tells him that he's forgotten.  This predictably pisses
Rihitel off, but Melby tells him not to look so angry, unless he's got
something to hide from Olban.  Rihitel asks if he's drunk, and Melby says that
drunkenness is only natural after drinking alcohol... or does Rihitel plan to
tell the nephew of their nation's leader that he can't drink?  Bergan figures
that this guy is even more of a jackass than what he'd heard - someone not
worth suspecting as a member of "that" organization.  Melby then wonders where
Rihitel's beautiful sister is, and figures he'll go say hi while he's on
Earth.
 Rihitel tells him that his people are in the midst of operations to take over
the Earth - if Melby has no worthwhile business here, he is to leave.  Melby
shrugs this off, saying that he'll then spectate on the Barm army's operations
and offering to prepare a victory toast.  Despite how lame this guy seems,
Rihitel figures he can't just send him back to Little Barm lest Olban become
further enraged by the lack of progress.  Bergan asks if Rihitel fears Olban's
wrath that much, and Rihitel angrily says that the only thing he fears is the
danger threatening the billion of his countrymen in hibernation.  In which
case, Bergan offers to take Raiza and make Rihitel's worries go away.  He
claims to have a plan equal to his show of confidence, but says that his next
plan involves using someone from the dungeon.  Rihitel figures it's Hareck,
and tells Bergan that the disposition of a traitor like that is up to him.
Bergan won't forget those words, as Rihitel tells them to get to it.  Raiza
inwardly begs for Rihitel's forgiveness...

Daimoji is explaining to Miwa how combat with the Barm and Reclaimers has
delayed his people's return to the Far East Base.  Miwa is more than impatient
with this, saying that the subterraneans are starting to act up now.  Daimoji
understand this, but wants to do something before returning to base: swing by
Deimovic to undertake Deimos' final adjustments.  Miwa tells him to do that at
Big Falcon, but Sakon informs him that that would interfere with Miwa's
operations.  He explains that maintenance on such a specialized machine
requires considerable effort - and should presumably be left up to people
familiar with it.  Miwa then grouses that Deimos alone should be sent to
Deimovic, but Sakon says that the rest of the mecha need work to, and so as
not to strain the Far East Base's resources, all of them will get serviced at
Deimovic.  Miwa is somewhat pacified by this, but orders Daimoji to make it
fast.  Sakon explains after hanging up that Miwa is still the sort of person
one can get through to if they understand what's important to him.  Besides,
Big Falcon wouldn't be able to do jack for your mecha without its key
scientists anyway.  With that, your people head to Deimovic.

The Deimos crew get a warm welcome from Waizumi.  After Kazuya recalls his
resolve to bring peace to the Earth (it's Erika's dream too), the scientists
have him bring Deimos to the underground hangar so they can adjust its
Deimolite controller and power it up... or at least try.  Kazuya really hopes
this is possible, since without more power he figures he won't be able to stop
the Barm or rescue Erika.  Moreover, Getter Dragon is finally back from
repairs, along with its full team.  Hayato tells Ryou that the subterraneans
have had many small skirmishes with the Far East Base's forces, but so far
nothing big.  Prof. Saotome suspects that they're planning something very big.
But hey, surely things will work out with all your people joining forces.
Musashi gives back Getter Dragon, and gets to ride in Black Getter instead.

Hamaguchi meanwhile has built the combat machine to Sakon's specifications -
all that remains is to test it in battle.  He finds Sakon's ideas very
interesting, and is looking forward to seeing how they work in battle.  Just
then Kyoushirou comes in looking for Nana, who has been scarce lately.  He
suspects he knows the reason why, though he claims his concern is merely to
keep the Deimos repairs from getting distracted.  Sakon and Midori then have
everyone who's finished with their maintenance start looking.

Kusuha and Irui are out on the beach, and haven't found Nana there.  Irui says
that she doesn't mind the walk - in fact, she loves being with Kusuha, her
kind and strong-hearted savior.  Unfortunately, the happy mood is pierced as
Irui senses that something is coming.

Meanwhile, Nana is pondering why Erika is the only one in her "brother's"
heart.  It's not fair, especially after Erika left him!  Four finds her just
then, and tells her to come back.  After all, she loves Kazuya, doesn't she?
Of course, and enough so not to lose to Erika! [yeah RIGHT!]  Nana more or
less wishes Erika was dead, but Four tells her not to be foolish.  She
understands something of Erika's reasons for wanting to leave - she didn't want
to be a burden to Kazuya... and thus tried to leave herself behind.  Nana then
figures that it's her fault, for saying what she did to Erika.  Oh no, she's
done something irreparable to both Erika and Kazuya, she thinks.  Just then the
air raid sirens go off, and there's few machines which can sortie.  Nana
decides to launch in her Galvar, saying that since Erika was willing to risk
her life for Kazuya, she can too.

It'll take three turns until all the Alpha Numbers can sortie to meet this
Barm threat.  Nana then blasts off, saying that she can at least buy some time
and promising to protect her "brother" in Erika's place.  They hastily agree
to stop the work on Deimos and sortie it too.

  Deimos launches on turn two, demonstrating once more that Banpresto's FMV's
  need serious help =(  Kazuya tells Nana to _think_ before blasting off like
  that - all she's done is inconvenience others.  Nana agrees, saying that
  she's nothing but a burden to everyone, especially since she made Erika
  leave the Taikuu Maryuu.  So she's at least got to try to do this much, she
  thinks.  Kazuya then shields her from enemy attack, and Nana asks why he
  bothered when it's Erika he loves.  Kazuya tells her to stop being stupid -
  like he could leave her alone at a time like this!  He continues that it's
  not her fault that Erika left - it's the fault of all of you for not stopping
  the war.  Does that mean he loves her?  He's now furious, telling this bitch
  that someone who didn't love her would never put himself through this shit
  to save her.

  The cavalry shows up on turn 3, with Pete thanking them for buying time.
  Sanshirou's got a new weapon which he can only use when he's close to the
  Taikuu Maryuu, the Miracle Drill.

  On 3.5, the main enemy force shows up - man, it's hard being popular.  That
  this many Barm are on the scene suggests that they've got some kind of
  forward base on Earth.  As Ken'ichi is about to lead your guys into battle,
  a voice tells him to stop.  It's his brother Hainel's voice, and boy are your
  people surprised to see him.  He's come as a representative of Boazan and
  Barm to treat for peace.  He wants to correct the error made on Mars, and
  stop all this profitless struggle.  The newbies on your team are very dubious
  about all this, but Ken'ichi is sure that with Hainel in the mix things can
  be worked out.  Pete notes that Kazuya seems not to be the only alien-lover
  around, but Ken'ichi points out that fighting here will accomplish nothing
  more than a repetition of the past.  Talking things out is more important
  right now.  Amuro understands Ken'ichi's feelings, but says that these are
  circumstances where suspicion is appropriate.  He tells Ken'ichi to think
  rationally - it seems unlikely that Hainel's people could actually bring
  about peace under these circumstances.  Kazuya agrees, figuring that Rihitel
  would never go for this.  Amuro realizes that the Boazan army loves to use
  imposters to try to trick you - but why would they come here, knowing you'd
  see through their ploy?  Moreover, Erika is on the scene too, imploring
  your people to listen.  As your people hesitate, Raiza has finished fine-
  tuning a new weapon targeted at your pilots' brainwaves, and Bergan figures
  the time has come.  Ropet detects a directed hypnosis wave, which Bergan says
  he fine tuned for each pilot while you were taken in by the fake Erika and
  Hainel.  Bergan says that this sympathy for the enemy is your weakness, and
  he'll send you all to where Hainel is.  Your people can still move, but this
  looks like it's going to be rough.

  Rough as in, you can't use magic, and your Morale has been reduced.

  For a Skill Point, shoot down the Scarlook.

  Two turns later, Bergan turns up the hypnosis wave - your people can barely
  even move their fingers now.  Just then, something very strange approaches
  (and Irui can sense it ahead of time).  It's Britto, plus a gigantic bird,
  plus a giant shark and cat.  They don't seem to be enemies though - have they
  come to help you?  The Brains are reacting too, and Bergan is astounded to
  see machines like this that aren't from his or the Black Holler Army's
  forces either.  Britto mumbles something about how everything is to protect
  the Earth, and the giant bird (a phoenix?) goes and wrecks the hypnosis
  device.  Remy expects these machines to join your forces according to the
  usual pattern, but Britto says his role is over (breaking the pattern) and
  decides to pull out.  Your people thank them first for helping out.
  Unfortunately, you're not quite out of the woods yet: Bergan dispatches his
  trump card, the Combat Robot Klein.  And it can teleport!  This could suck,
  although Kazuya says you've just got to strike it when it appears.  Bergan
  shows Kazuya what Klein's head contains: Erika, and Hareck.  These are
  presumably not imposters, and Hareck tells Kazuya that the thing is loaded
  with explosives.  This could be a ploy to seal your hands, OR as Kazuya
  perceives Hareck could have been imprisoned along with Erika.  Pete is sick
  of hearing this, but Sanshirou thinks that Kazuya may have the right idea.
  He tells Pete that _if_ the bomb story is true, defeating the Klein would be
  precisely what Bergan wants.  Pete isn't going to stand by and see Deimovic
  get destroyed, but Daimoji notes that whatever the truth may be the Klein
  is positively rigged to explode.  He tells everyone not to touch it until he
  can figure out what's really going on.  Raiza figures that if her side can
  buy time until the Klein explodes, they can defeat the Earthlings.  Besides,
  Erika's ongoing existence would eventually taint Rihitel's name.  She
  inwardly begs Rihitel's forgiveness, for becoming a devil in order to protect
  his honor and position.  As Klein attacks, Hareck says that it's being
  controlled by computer.  Pete says that he's not soft like Kazuya and
  Sanshirou and that that excuse won't work on him, but Daimoji yells at him
  to stop since you don't know what's going on yet.  Kazuya wonders what the
  hell he should do under the circumstances, and Nana calls him a coward.
  After all, Erika risked her life for him once - now it's time for him to do
  the same.  But should he go try to save Erika, knowing it could be a trap?
  Nana says that if Kazuya believes in Erika, she will too.  This has cleared
  up his doubts, and he tells Erika that he'll believe in her even if the
  rest of the world won't... because she's the only person in the world he
  loves!  The rest of your team is suitably impressed by this, and Amuro gives
  the order to wipe out everyone else.  Hareck says that your only choice is
  to stop his machine moving, since Erika and he are tied up and can't get
  at the controls.  Moreover, the bomb has a timer - you've got three more
  turns.  Hareck is sure that Kazuya can read the Klein's subspace movements.

  To win, you've got to reduce the Klein to less than 1000 HP without actually
  killing it.  Taking out the Scarlook should actually be rather easy...

  The Klein is set to appear near Deimos - that shouldn't be so hard for your
  people to follow.

When you win the battle, Hareck thanks you for believing in him.  Unfortunately
there's no more time to disarm the bomb, though the time Kazuya bought him let
him get free.  He throws Erika from the mech and moves away from the base,
saying that he's now repaid his debt to Kazuya.  As Kazuya tries to go to
Hareck's rescue, Hareck tells him to stay away: he can't let a brave man like
Kazuya, so indispensable to peace between their two peoples, die.  He entrusts
this peace to Kazuya, Erika, and all your brave warriors, and says that he's
returning to his home, far beyond the stars of the galaxy.  He teleports away
and the bomb detonates.  Sakon realizes that he knew from the start that the
bomb couldn't be defused and planned to do this from the start.  Pete is
astounded that such a man existed among the aliens, and Kouji notes that he
really has gone to his homeland now.  Unfortunately, a Barm vehicle appears on
Melby's special orders, to "save" Erika.  Kazuya can't reach her in time, and
the resulting angst is immense.

Rihitel demands to know why Bergan used Erika in his plan, and Bergan informs
him that he already received Rihitel's permission.  Rihitel doesn't remember
authorizing that, and Bergan says that unless his memory is faulty Rihitel
permitted him to use anyone in the dungeon for his operation, that the
disposal of traitors was up to Bergan.  He asks if Raiza knew of this, and she
begs his forgiveness while saying that Erika was threatening to stain his name,
and would eventually bring catastrophe upon him.  He cuts forth her
obsequiescence, telling her that he never recalls being sympathetic towards his
sister.  Bergan assumes that Rihitel will therefore not hold him responsible
using his sister then - given that the operation was made _purely_ with the
best interests of Raiza and Rihitel at heart.  Rihitel insists that he has no
sympathy left for Erika, but orders her brought before him at once.  That won't
be possible given that she was lost in the battle, but when Rihitel hastily
orders her found and retrieved Melby says there's no need.  He's of course
responsible for her safe return, and hopes that Rihitel shows a little
gratitude for it.  Melby tells Erika that she looks more beautiful than when he
last saw her, and asks if she's fallen in love or something.  Rihitel yells at
Melby that Erika is a shameful traitor to the Barm, and noone worth saving.
When Erika attempts to talk to him, Rihitel tells her to shut up and says that
this time he'll execute her himself.  Melby isn't having that, saying that he
won't hand her to Rihitel... given that she'll become his bride.  THAT was his
true reason for coming to Earth.  Rihitel won't permit it, saying that he has
total authority over her.  Of course, that's no way to talk to Olban's nephew,
and Melby says that if Rihitel will simply give his permission he'll depart
from the Earth at once.  Rihitel gives his permission after a moment, and Melby
resolves to take along Margarette as a lady in waiting.  Melby tells Erika that
she's his now, and that it's to him she should direct her smile.

Meanwhile, Kazuya angsts over Erika, resolving to use Deimos to fight for
peace between the two peoples, accepting the soul of Hareck.  The other pilots
watch and note that he's not that depressed - looks like "Romeo" is taking
strength from "Juliet"'s plight.  Even Monsha, who has no sympathy for Kou's
situation, feels a bit for Kazuya's.  Kusuha is sure that everyone's strength
combined can get Erika back... and the same goes for Britto.

Your people are still feeling the aftereffects of that hypnosis wave, mostly
lightheartedly.  However, the eternally scowling Hiroshi seems to be the only
one feeling no ill effects - something _is_ different about his body.  He
thought that the glove he got from his father is what let him transform into
Jeeg, but... could it be that he's not human?

Pete then confronts Sanshirou, telling him that Hareck taught him that there
_are_ aliens who would risk their lives for peace and the future... and that
there are other ways of solving things besides combat.  He, like Kazuya, is
now inclined to believe.  He then passes along a warning about the Miracle
Drill: if Sanshirou isn't more careful with his timing, the drill will punch
right through Gaiking.  Sakon meanwhile figures that the odd mecha you saw are
most likely some kind of self-controlled half-living weapons.  Meaning that
noone was piloting them.  There's too many questions about where and by whom
they were made, but their concept is vaguely similar to the Arrowgater mecha.
It might be natural to think of them as alien in origin, but somehow Sakon
can't see that - maybe they're more like the ancient Mikeene or other old
Earth technology.  Whatever is responsible, it's nothing you've seen before,
Banjou figures.  Will those three mystery mecha be your allies, or enemies?

  You get a Minovsky Craft, a Propellant Tank, a Cartridge, and a Repair Kit.


Stage 21. Kin-iro no Hakaishin ("The Golden God of Destruction")

Shishiou is examining the Zondar Metal which had fused the human who became
the core of the EI-02.  This stuff has the ability to fuse with machinery and
expand infinitely.  Sakon senses in this and in the other events befalling you
an evil will - one that thinks nothing of exploiting the weaknesses of human
hearts.  In that sense, it's something similar in function but opposite in
purpose to the Antibodies: the Zondar Metal is alive, and if so its purpose
becomes clear.  The goal of all living things is to perpetuate themselves, and
if more EI's based around this stuff get loose there's going to be big trouble
- the entire world will get Zondarized by the Z0 (Zed Zero) particles the
Zondar Metal releases.  In small doses they're harmless, but in large enough
doses they can actually make humans into EIs.  Fortunately, that mysterious
boy has the power to return such humans back to normal, a phenomenon that the
GGG has taken to calling "Cleansing".  Sadly, their scientists haven't been
able to recreate it yet - meaning that boy is the key to saving the world.
Unfortunately, said boy just sent in some distress call from Hokkaido, where
Z0 emissions have been detected.  Worse, the area it's from (Isolde) has
something that Yumi and Saotome have gone to keep an eye on.  If something
happens to either of them, you are *screwed*  The GGG rushes to the scene,
despite Gai's incomplete adjustments.

Your people arrive at Isolde, marveling at how big it is.  Kosaku explains
that it's a huge particle accelerator, or as Hyouma puts it, a racetrack for
particles. A rather nonplussed Kosaku says that, while it _is_ about as
dangerous as a regular racetrack, the purpose of this thing is to generate
large amounts of energy.  You get no response from it, and Kouji is getting
itchy to rush in and rescue his father.  The Ryuu twins will start by
surveying the exterior of the facility, keeping watch on two of the four gates.
 One of the remaining two will be held by the intelligence division, and the
fourth will be Gai, assuming his body holds out.  Hiroshi volunteers to go to
in that case, saying his fortified suit will stop any small stuff and that he's
worried about Gai.

Gai isn't feeling very well at all, but figures he's got no choice but to go
if the EI are in Isolde.  Mikoto has heard that if Gai uses Hell and Heaven
once more, there's no guarantee he'll survive, and begs him to stop fighting
since she couldn't bear it if something happens to him.  Gai thinks of his body
as something granted to him by God to save people the world over.  He promises
her that he'll be back.  Just then Hiroshi comes in, saying he's got business
with Gai.  Gai's not doing very well at all, and Hiroshi says that he'll
accompany him, since both of them seem to have been subjected to their parents'
whims.  Gai actually is grateful to his father for this body, and for giving
him a reason to live.  That's why Gai feels he has to go, even if his life
expires.

Hyouryuu reports in, he's almost reached the space beneath Isolde.  Hyuuga
orders him to prioritize recovery of the two scientists above all else when he
finds them.  Enryuu hasn't found them either, which means they must be at
either the north or south gates.  Gai and Hiroshi are pressing ahead, and Gai
seems to be feeling better.  Gai realizes that Hiroshi doesn't yet know about
his body, and they both notice someone up ahead.  That someone is impressed you
noticed him: Pizza, one of the Four Heavenly Lords of Machinery.  Which means
that his comrades are busy dealing with the rest of the "rubbish".  Gai tells
Hiroshi that he'll take this guy on while Hiroshi rescues the professors.  As
Pizza transforms into some kind of monster, Hiroshi finally heeds Gai's words
and heads ahead.  Unfortunately, waiting ahead is Penchinon, who can tell that
Hiroshi is no mere human.  Too bad his plan to kill Hiroshi is foiled by
Volfogg's interference.  He takes over this fight, and orders Hiroshi to head
onwards and save the professors.  Hiroshi is getting the hang of this, and
hurries forward.

Happily, it appears that he's succeeded in rescuing the profs, and Gai sends
Galleon to take them somewhere safe.  As your people retreat, Primada figures
that her people have bought enough time here to give rise to a new Zondar.
Penchinon vows to make this place your grave, and a lot of mobile suits and
Megazauruses appear, plus Docougar mecha - this means that the original Zondar
has been copied, although this time there isn't a person inside.  Only a
Zondar could gather as many different mecha made with so many different
technologies together to fight for it, unless of course you count your own
people.  This means you're in for a big fight, though your pilots are
determined to prove that copies can't beat your originals.  Shishiou says that
the Zondar in charge of all these mecha must be around somewhere.  Until you
take it out, you won't be able to get this facility back.  Pizza is far from
impressed at seeing Gai, the despicable remnant of Cain, and figures to bring
his power to an end here.

  Clear this map in eight turns for a Skill Point.

  On turn two, you detect a human near the entrance to Isolde: Kenpeizaki,
  the former systems engineer of GGG.  Could it be that he resents Entouji?
  He pops out in the Zondar, which seems to be a copy of Gaogaigar made by
  hacking the data and combining it with the Zondar part.  Gai resolves to
  get rid of this copy, and asks Mikoto for Final Fusion.  Mikoto worries
  that Gai will die at this rate, but he insists he'll be okay.  Mikoto
  finally believes in him and prepares to do fire it, but Pizza won't let
  her: he wrecks Gai's guide beacon for the fusion.  If the Fusion is
  allowed to continue, both Gaigar and the Gao Machines will be destroyed.
  Hyouma tells Gai not to give up: if he can't combine on Auto, he's just got
  to do it on Manual.  This comes as some kind of revelation to Shishiou, who
  hops in with Hyuuga and Ushio.  Whether this works or not is up to Gai,
  and as the quibbling about what percent success rate it'll have, the rest of
  your people say that they'll buy Gai the time he needs.  Gai pulls it off,
  a victory for spirit and resolve as Hyuuga would have it.  Shishiou is most
  pleased, but warns Gai not to use Hell and Heaven - doing so would kill him
  this time.  He tells Gai to let the others pull out the Zondar core this
  time, and to believe in his plan for what to do next.

  The map clear condition is taking down the EI-15.  It's worth a Study
  Computer.

After you waste the Zondar, Volfogg manages to pull out its core.  Entouji
murmers that Kenpeizaki always overlooked something important, that there are
things that originals have and copies don't: the "proof of heroism".  The
mystery figures commend your people, admitting that mere copies could never
beat the Relic of Cain.  Primada figures that it's her turn, and a leading
scientist in the field of gravity control, also appears to be a Zondar.  And
she does something that glues all your units to the ground.  Entouji detects
an increase in Nix particles in the region beneath the Unitality Threshold
[wow, technobabble galore!]  This abnormal gravity will crush all your people
flat...  except for the plan that Shishiou's got up his sleeve.  The enemy
aren't impressed, and dispatch more bad guys.

  You still have to clear the map in 8 turns, but now you need to shoot down
  the EI-20.  Get used to not being able to move or attack for a while.  All
  things considered, good play can beat this mission in seven turns total.

  After two turns, Shishiou is wondering where the thing he's sent for is.
  Primada is impressed at how tough you all are, but decides to end it here.
  Her plans to see you as metal scrap are foiled as Goldymarg shows up,
  apparently very powerful and very full of itself - much like Hyuuga.  Hyuuga
  gets very upset at the notion that there's anything wrong with it, and
  Shishiou explains that since he didn't have any time to properly raise this
  A.I., he copied and transplanted Hyuuuga's personality into it.  He then
  yells to Gai that Goldymarg will give Gaogaigar a new power - the ultimate
  G Tool, the Goldion Hammer.  This is good news, since it'll reduce the stress
  on Gai when doing Hammer Hell and Heaven.

  EI-20 is worth a High-Powered Radar.

When you take out the EI-20, it doesn't seem to die, until Gai auto ass-rocks
it with his Goldion Hammer.  The bad guys are somewhat dumbfounded, Pizza
resolving to remember Gaogaigar's name [like he didn't know it already!!!]
Unfortunately, Gai's G-stone is losing power: at this rate his life support
systems will fail in short order.  Fortunately, glowing boy is on the scene,
telling Gai that he'll make him feel better and take care of the Zondar.
Today, said boy isn't going to run off anywhere - he feels like he's got to
help out your people.  He wonders if God gave him this power to help all the
people in the world out - which is what Gai figured too.  It's surely the
beginning of a beautiful friendship.

The two eminent scientists have more or less figured out what the four bad
guys were up to inside the particle accelerator.  Yumi figures that those four
"Zondarians" were trying to get their hands on a powerful energy source.  And
using that source, they wanted to turn Isolde into a Zondar Metal-making
plant.
 Apparently, that was also why they were interested in Photon Power...  but not
in Getter Rays, which means that Saotome would probably be dead now if not for
your help.  They seem to regard Getter Rays as their enemy, and Sakon notes
that the energy that causes living beings to evolve might well seem abominable
to those machines.  In fact, this might have something to do with the increase
in Getter Rays these past several years.  In any event, high-energy facilities
should now be considered Zondar targets - and the best way to counter that
threat is to post GGG's forces to the Alpha Numbers.  Mikoto gets to come
along as well, since Gaogaigar requires an operator to work properly.
Moreover, the green-haired lad will be going along as well, and Taiga tells
Shishiou that he'll take full responsibility for his posting.

Your people get introduced to the Big Order Room, which among other things has
seats for the robot members of your crew to sit in.  The robots look like
they'll fit right in, including in the kiddies' massage regimen...

Taiga confers with Mamoru, promising to persuade his parents without revealing
his powers and making them worry.  Taiga tells him that he'll take the task of
lying, since he doesn't want to see Mamoru himself have to start.  He in fact
goes to his house, telling his parents that he's starting a space physical
education program and wants Mamoru as a monitor for it.  Gai is a little sad
that he had to deceive his parents, but vows to protect them all as they give
their permission for him to go.

  You get a Propellant Tank, a Cartridge, and a Repair Kit.


Stage 22. Mezamero Jeeg!  Ikari no Hangeki!

Erika informs the still drunken Melby that she won't marry him, despite his
insistence that she smile like a bride is supposed to.  In fact, she up and
threatens to commit suicide if he gets any closer to her - she's no doll, and
she both thinks and acts under her own will.  Moreover, there's only one person
in the universe she loves... and Melby asks her if she's prepared to lay down
her life for that person, Kazuya.  He says that she'd have no regrets, and
after a brief faceoff Melby bursts out laughing, saying once he's finally
collected himself and cast off his drunken appearance that Erika has proven
herself truly worthy of being an envoy of peace.  He summons Dange over, who's
choice of her seems to be right on the money.  It seems that Dange was once
the shogun of Boazan's armies - now he's one of the people among the Barm-
Boazan-Zayla Peaceful Liberation Front.  Melby explains that it's an
organization of peace-lovers who'd like to make peace with the Earth.  Ever
since Rion's death, the doves have been oppressed fiercely by the military,
but with a bit of help from Melby he's managed to make it to Earth to help out.
 As it happens, beneath Melby's drunkard act he's in fact the leader of the
Front - which shocks Margarette due to Melby's blood ties to Olban.  Melby
states flatly that blood has nothing to do with it - as a thinking being, he
considers Olban's actions inexcusable.  He explains to Erika that he saved her
to gain her aide as the peaceful Rion's descendant - and because her love with
Kazuya will be the key to peace with the Earth.  That, and Melby figured that
Erika had to learn of the truth behind her father's assassination and Olban's
plots.

Unfortunately, the military has fiercely opposed any attempt to reopen
negotiations with the Barm, and the Federation government has caved in.  It
seems that the hawks, starting with Miwa, have the upper hand for now.  Riliina
wonders inwardly to Hiiro if she can do no more - do these times require might
more than conversation?)  Just then, Ikima, the general of the Jama armies,
shows up[!!!]  He's petrified the sentries, lest they raise a fuss over him
[!!!], though he tells an irate Noin that he hasn't come here today to fight.
He's here on Himika's orders, and tells them to accompany him if they value
their lives... of course, that would mean back to his kingdom.

Himika introduces herself with much impressiveness as the rightful ruler of
Japan, but Riliina isn't impressed and asks Himika politely but firmly what she
wants.  Riliina has steeled herself for this kind of thing long since, and
Himika figures that someone like her is actually possible to negotiate with.
She tells Riliina that the Jama Empire once flourished side by side with nature
in Japan.  But that peaceful existence within the cycle of nature was abruptly
broken one day, the very existence of the empire threatened by barbarians from
abroad.  To counter that threat, Himika's people used their interdimensional
science to venture far underground and slumber.  And now, the Jama have
awakened, and Himika would like Riliina to inform the humans that this country
is theirs.  Riliina inquires why Himika's people didn't elect to negotiate in
the first place, which draws an angry reaction from Amaso and Mimashi, who say
that the rightful owner should have no need to announce himself to interlopers.
 Himika tells them to stand down, saying that Riliina's words are most
reasonable.  She tells Riliina that her people have realized their mistake, and
should the fighting continue Japan itself would get destroyed, setting them
back to square one.  She asks Riliina if they've already passed the point of no
return - if there's no other path than mutual bloodshed.  After a moment,
Riliina says that she, as one who loves peace, will believe the empress' words.
 She will talk to the Federation and attempt to set up a time and place for
negotiations.  She tells Riliina that Shiba of the Buildbase should know quite
a bit about the Jama, and should be able to assist her.  Riliina promises to
ask him forthwith, and Himika offers to send Riliina straight there.  Riliina,
no fool, realizes she's got to tell the Alpha Numbers about this right away...
Himika's chuckling probably doesn't bode well though.

Riliina has conveyed Himika's message, which is certainly the last thing your
people were expected to hear.  Before the question of whether _you_ should
believe it, the Federation government, or rather Miwa, are unlikely to buy it.
Shiba says that the Jama's statement is nothing more than the rationalization
of an invader - a selfish notion they're trying to foist off on others.
Hiroshi asks if his father is in a position to say that, and he replies that
this is no time for verbal sparring.  Synapse cuts Hiroshi off when he won't
take the hint and starts asking about his body, and Shiba figures that Himika's
request must be some sort of trap.  He concurs with Riliina's noble love for
peace, but says that between the Jama and you can be nothing but perpetual war.
 Riliina realizes that her ideals are just that, ideals, but she would hate to
see this chance wasted, especially since they (the ones who started the
fighting) are offering to bring an end to it.  With little resolved, Synapse
and the crew withdraw to their ships to guard against enemy assault.  Shiba
asks Hiroshi and Mitchi to stay behind, though this has nothing to do with the
new Jeeg Parts.  Hiroshi has little patience for his father's lectures, but
he's willing to listen if his father will discuss the secret of his body.  When
his father asks what secret, Hiroshi says that he's not dumb: he knows he's
abnormally tough and that his "protection suit" is abnormal.  Besides, the
Zondarians and Mitchi seem to know something about him, as does Gai.  He yells
for his father to tell him convincingly what's going on with his body, and that
he doesn't want to fight any longer without knowing the truth.  Shiba had held
him back for just this reason, and tells Mitchi that there's no longer any
point in trying to hide things from him.  He explains to Hiroshi that his body
is not human, but cyborg.  The bronze bell that he discovered long ago had
inscribed on it the secret of the Jama Empire - and he couldn't let that bell
fall into Himika's hands no matter what.  It was to protect the bell and to
fight the Jama off that he modified Shiba's body.  Hiroshi freaks out over the
notion that he's not human, yelling at Mitchi not to touch him and demanding to
know how a father who could do that sort of thing to his own son could even
call himself human.  Shiba concedes that, as Hiroshi can see, he _is_ no longer
human either: all was done to protect the surface world from the Jama.  Hiroshi
is unconvinced, but Mitchi heatedly asks him why he can't understand that even
if his body is cyborg, his heart is human.  He still can't equate being a
cyborg with being human, and Shiba tells him that his power is there to fight
the enemies of mankind, starting with the Jama.  Hiroshi yells at him to shut
up, saying that he refuses to go on fighting and become his father's lackey.
After he stalks off, Mitchi offers to go and persuade him, but Shiba tells her
not to bother - until Hiroshi accepts the facts, there's no way he'll be able
to survive the battles that lie ahead.  Just like Gai.

Riliina figures that even though she failed to persuade Synapse, she mustn't
give up.  Abolishing all fighting is a tall order, but she figures she should
at least be able to diminish it.  Unfortunately, the Jama have sent an envoy
who would like an answer right now - and Mimashi isn't surprised when he learns
that she's failed.  All that remains is for him to find out the location of the
bronze bell.  WHICH of course was their plan all along.

Gai wants to know where Hiroshi thinks he's going - as Gai can see, Hiroshi is
leaving the Taikuu Maryuu before anyone can do something else to his body.
Hiroshi is grimly amused to be in the same boat as Gai, and Gai tries to get
Hiroshi to stop and listen.  Unsuccessfully, since Hiroshi was _made_ a cyborg
against his will.  Just then, Mimashi announces that he's grabbed Riliina,
ordering your people to tell him where the bronze bell is if they want to see
her stay alive.  Mimashi informs Riliina that of course they never intended to
negotiate: why should they, when Himika is the rightful ruler anyway?  Riliina
herself is prepared to lay down her life - but Mimashi wonders if the rest of
your people will see it that way.  Hiiro is in fact nowhere to be seen, which
Duo figures is normal and means that everything should be okay.  Pete is sure
that there will be more bad guys than just this one man, and asks Daimoji for
permission to sortie.  Daimoji hesitates to do that while Riliina is held
hostage, and Shiba tells Mimashi that he doesn't have the bell, making his
hostage-taking useless.  Hiroshi asks if Shiba is trying to get Riliina killed,
and Shiba says that he's doing nothing of the kind.  He tells Hiroshi to save
her, and Hiroshi refuses to take orders from him like a machine.  Shiba reminds
him that a life hangs in the balance - if he doesn't do it, who will? Hiroshi
still has utterly no intention to become his father's lackey, until a gunshot
rings out.  It's Hiiro, without a mech, facing down Mimashi who calls him a
fool for not appreciating his disadvantage.  Hiiro tells Riliina to believe in
him, and shoots Mimashi quite handily.  Too bad that bullets won't go through
his skin, and Mimashi, gloating, goes and prepares to manually break Hiiro's
neck.  Which is just what Hiiro wanted, since in order to kill him Mimashi had
to leave Riliina behind - AND, parts of Mimashi's body are still organic and
quite susceptible to Hiiro's gun.  Gai tells Hiiro to leave the rest to him,
and lashes out with his Will Knife.  He safely rescues Riliina and forces
Mimashi to flee.  Riliina thanks Hiiro for once again saving her life, and
Hiiro tells her that as long as there's fighting, he'll protect her, even if he
has to go back to what he was like in his past, when he was just a mere
fighting machine.  THAT gets Hiroshi's attention.  Mimashi, meanwhile, is quite
pissed off and calls up reinforcements.  Gai tells Hiroshi to take Hiiro and
Riliina to safety while he buys enough time for the Alpha Numbers to sortie.
Hiroshi wants to know why Gai goes that far, and Gai yells out that no reason
is necessary to save human lives - he never remembers throwing out his human
heart along with his human body!  Shiba tells Hiroshi that humans can risk
their lives for what they believe in - what they love.  Flesh and blood or
machine matters not; what matters, is the heart!  Hiroshi finally gets his head
straight, and the two cyborgs start rocking ass.  Mitchi tells Hiroshi that he
can now use a new weapon, the Mach Drill.  This thing will fly towards him at
very high speed and is still under testing, but Hiroshi should be able to merge
with it now.

  For a Skill Point, defeat all enemies within seven turns.  Good play can
  do it in more like five.

  On turn 3, Amaso shows up to, in his words, help the incompetent Mimashi
  out.  Ikima is on the scene too, and determined to recover the bronze bell
  at all costs.

  Ikima is worth a Hybrid Armor.

Himika is most pissed off at her subordinates for bringing her plan to naught
and coming back without knowing the location of the bronze bell.  What they do
know is that the bell isn't at Buildbase - either it's hidden somewhere else
unlikely to fall into the hands of the Jama, or it's already been destroyed.
Himika figures it can't be destroyed, since the humans would find it a
valuable source of information.  Even if it were destroyed, there should be a
copy or something - and suddenly she has an idea.  She commends Shiba for
finding her blind spot: the one place most difficult for her people to reach.

That would be: inside Jeeg's body!  More precisely, its data has been implanted
in a microcapsule inside him.  Shiba tells Hiroshi that he doesn't mind if
Hiroshi hates him, but tells him that the secrets the bell contains were _that_
important for him to protect.  That secret is said to be an incantation which
can call forth the kingdom of Hell.  What it _actually_ is is unknown, but the
godlike being which ruled over ancient Earth is...  Hiroshi has figured out
that the Jama want to call forth whatever that kingdom of Hell is and use it to
rule the Earth, and his father tells him that the enemy probably know of the
capsule's whereabouts: should he fall, the enemy will get their hands on the
bell's secret.  And at that moment, the kingdom of Hell will be reborn on the
Earth.  Hiroshi is determined to fight, but tells his father hotly that it's
not because of him - it's because he, Shiba Hiroshi the human, has decided to
on his own.  As Hiroshi heads out with Mitchi, his parents confer: Hiroshi
isn't the only one with a cruel destiny to bear, and that other person has
probably figured it out by now.  Shiba tells his wife that Hiroshi, having
awakened to his will to fight, has positively gone up a rung as a warrior -
surely Jeeg will come through.

Your people are musing over Hiroshi being a cyborg.  You now see why he was
called "Hiroshi the Immortal" in his auto racing days, since he never got hurt
in even the worst accidents.  Banjou then steps in and recommends that everyone
shut up about Hiroshi's body.  Hyouma wants to know why, since he's not
thinking of Hiroshi in a bad way because of it, but Banjou points out that
Hiroshi didn't get that body because he wanted it... your people should be a
bit more considerate of people in such circumstances.  Just then Hiroshi comes
in and reassures Hime and the others that it's okay - he's gotten the initial
shock out of his system.  Plus, if he moans about it he's sure Gai would just
laugh at him, and he still has his human heart.  Banjou inwardly agrees, noting
that he and Gai aren't like the Megaborgs whose human egos have been amplified.
 He's sure that the two of them will continue trying to be human.

Riliina is resolved to go off, even though she suspects that things will
continue to end up as they just have.  She figures she can't discard her
destiny - believing that there still must be some path forward, she will
continue to fight her fight.  She's sure she'll see Hiiro again, and heads off.
 Duo asks Hiiro if he wouldn't worry less by being by her side, and Hiiro says
that she didn't need his help back there.  Her resolve is already set, and his
being by her side would only soften that resolve.  Just as Noin and Riliina are
about to take off, someone named "Erika" asks to speak with her.

Meanwhile, the Jama's main base's location is now clear, thanks to the
emergency transponder Riliina had with her during her visit there.  The signal
vanished somewhere in mid-trip, but by combining the data they did get with
the rest of their information up until now it is now 91.4% certain that their
base in the mountains at point CK3224.  Shishiou is glad to see a probability
this high, since up until now some kind of kekkai has been preventing tighter
localization.  Just then Miwa calls in and tells you to get to Osaka on the
double: the main force of the Kyouryuu has appeared and are on the rampage -
something believed to be their mobile fortress has appeared in the center of
Osaka.  Miwa says that this happened because you all didn't follow his orders,
and once again orders you to get to Osaka IMMEDIATELY.


Stage 23. Mashiinrando Fujou ("Machineland Surfaces")

Numerous Megazauruses are spotted in the city: the center of town has been all
but ravaged by the bad guys peeling the Earth aside.  Daimoji orders Pete to
charge right into the center of the fray.  Bat meanwhile is satisfied that the
first stage of the plan is complete.  Gallery notes that the monkeys would
have had no way to anticipate their electroshock operation, and Bat tells Zanki
to go and tell the emperor that this area belongs to the Kyouryuu.  Zanki
points out that only the first stage has been completed - until Getter and the
Taikuu Maryuu are defeated, matters certainly can't be called complete.  Bat
doesn't need to be reminded of the failure of two years ago, and he and Gallery
are sure that by surfacing Machineland they'll surely get the better of the
monkeys this time.  Your people show up, noting that the bad guys seem to be
serious enough this time to risk sending their main fortress to attack you.
That said, your people aren't going to back down - and Kouji says that it's
time to settle the score in _this_ age [as well as in the future].  Bat laughs
and says that his people never taste defeat twice, and Amuro realizes that
they're up to something: all the plants around Machineland have grown
abnormally.  THAT seems to be their true intention, as Mikoto announces: the
heat and CO2 content of the area around Machineland is rapidly rising.  The bad
guys are trying to modify the atmosphere to one more hospitable to themselves,
and if this keeps up not only you but all the refugees won't last an instant.
Daimoji orders you all to destroy Machineland, and Shishiou orders Mikoto to
contact Taiga - they may have to use "that".

If you let Radora live, he's still on the scene, though something seems
abnormal about him.  Bat informs you that Radora is being punished by the
Kyouryuu in a manner far worse than death for his failure.  Gallery and Bat
are controlling Radora's will, turning him into a mere combat machine.  Bat
orders Radora to go forth and take on Shin Getter Robo, to obtain victory and
glory.  Is there no choice but for Ryou to defeat him?

  Shoot down Gallery and Bat within six turns for a Skill Point.  Good play
  can do it in four.

  On turn two, the bad guys decide to use their new weapon: the Magma Cannon,
  which some of you might remember from Alpha Gaiden.  Your people certainly
  do, as they gleefully inform Gallery.

  If you've met the conditions so far, send Ryou to Persuade Radora.  Even
  Radora's memories seem under control, meaning you have no choice but to
  wreck his mech.  Then have Getter take Radora down - he begins to remember
  who he is, and Bat recalls his mech in panic.

  Zanki is worth a Dual Sensor.  Bat is worth a Booster.  Gallery is worth a
  Biosensor.

After the battle, a certain voice begins to laugh - it's Emperor Goll, who
turns out to be very pissed off after tasting unending death in the
regenerative vat.  What he cooked up during that time is never-ending wrath
and hatred, and tells you all to listen up: all the monkeys are about to get
wiped out by Machineland as the Earth becomes his!  Your people tell him to
stick it in his ass, noting that a fortress or two won't stand in your way.
Unfortunately, Goll has hostages - both military and civilians.  Your people
ponder how you can't lift a finger now, nor can you just leave things be.
Goll is unreceptive to Musashi's call to fight fair and square, and is trying
to decide which hostage to massacre first as Ryou volunteers to trade places
with the hostages.  This intrigues Goll, and in fact the whole Getter team
volunteers to go along.  That is except for Musashi, who the three Shin Getter
pilots tell has to protect Saotome and Michiru.  Goll tells Gallery to free
_half_ of the hostages, and tells his men to blast the other half of you with
the Magma Cannon.  Amuro thinks for a moment, and tells everyone to pull out
of this area at once.  He tells your incredulous crew that if all of you fall
here, who will rescue the hostages?  Amuro says that you've got to regroup,
and that he won't tolerate any dissension - this is WAY strong for him.  As
your people exit, Goll figures he's finally won - and Japan is now _his_.

You have about an hour until the atmosphere becomes harmful to humans.  You've
got to figure out how to both destroy Machineland and rescue all the hostages.
Gai says that he and Volfogg will see to the hostages, since that's up their
alley, and Hiroshi figures that he'll help out too.  Banjou, who specializes
in infiltration, will go along too - he tells Hiroshi that he breathes
differently than normal people...  Shishiou is opposed to Gai leading the
mission - if "it" arrives on time things could be quite different.  Just then
Miwa radios in, telling your people to pull out of the area.  In one hour, a
"scientific weapon" will be deployed to Osaka.  This is a type of
anti-reptilian poison gas that should work wonders on the subterraneans.  Of
course, this will poison all the hostages as well - does Miwa intend to abandon
them?  Kazuya demands to know how Miwa can call himself a soldier with a plan
like that, and Miwa tells him as a civilian to butt out - he's going for the
ultimate victory for mankind.  Kazuya demands to know who will rejoice over a
victory like that, and Miwa furiously orders him to shut up: at this rate, the
sacrifices will only increase.  Tetsuya tells him he's not inclined to heed
that order, and Kouji tells Miwa to go splash some water on his face or
something.  Synapse understands what Miwa is saying, doublechecking that the
weapon will be deployed in one hour.  He then tells Miwa that your people will
free the hostages and destroy Machineland in less time than that, and when Miwa
demands to know if you're disobeying his order Duo's hand "slips" and hangs up
on him.

In any event, Synapse says that the responsibility is all his - but now, you
can't back away anymore.  Nobody plans to back out, and it looks like freeing
the hostages will boil down to a diversion.  Which, Shishiou has already taken
care of: a new Tool for Gaogaigar that Entouji is bringing over - the Dividing
Driver...


Stage 24. Teiou Gooru Kesshi no Mouhangeki ("Emperor Goll's Fierce
Counterattack, Determined to Die")

Zanki detects something approaching.  It's Musashi, who is more than prepared
to take on the bad guys by himself (well, he's got a little backup).  As the
Kyouryuu generals ponder how this might be a trap, Zanki demands to know what
they're so scared of - just kill Getter along with the hostages!  Bat then
tells Zanki to go do it, and Zanki figures there's no better opportunity to
show his valor to Goll.  Michiru warns Musashi that the enemy seem to have
accepted the challenge, and Musashi vows that whatever else happens to him, he
will protect Michiru.

  On turn two, Musashi keeps yelling at the lizards to come and get him.
  Gallery still suspects a trap, and Michiru figures that they've got to hold
  out until Goll himself shows up.  On 2.5, Goll shows up in person to
  execute Musashi, in deference to his monumental stupidity.  He then shows
  Musashi a crucified Getter, and tells him not to move lest Getter and the
  hostages die.  Well, they're going to die anyway.  Now's the time for Musashi
  to act, but he trembles in fear for a while before Michiru's words restore
  his courage.  He then goes over and Daisetsuzan-Oroshi's Goll, telling a
  shocked Goll that he's won.  Gai then shows up, saying that he'll pick up
  where Musashi's courage has left off.  Using the Dividing Driver, he slices
  the land in half, leaving Goll wondering what the hell just happened.
  Shishiou explains about the special field it creates and the special combat
  subspace everyone has just been whisked away to: a "ring" that will keep all
  damage from reaching the outside world.  Goll tells you not to get cocky
  since he's got hostages, but they have all in fact just been released now
  that all the bad guys are gone.  Goll, now peeved, tells his troops not to
  falter - there's no way the monkeys can beat them.  The rejuvenated Getter
  troops tell him that's not going to work on them, and Goll finally agrees
  that this will be the battle to determine which is superior, monkeys or
  lizards.

  For a Skill Point, take down Bat, Gallery, and the Dai within eight turns.
  This should be doable in five or six turns with good play.

  Zanki is worth a Multisensor.  He's astounded, saying he can't die here
  since he's destined to be a general, and Musashi tells him if he wants to be
  a general so badly to do it in the Afterlife.

  Gallery is worth a Solar Panel.  He as a scientist won't accept the fact that
  his science has been beaten by the monkeys.  Benkei tells him that your
  people are not to be defeated by SCIENCE(tm), either now or in the future.

  Bat is worth an Apogee Motor.  Bat is very upset to beaten by you not once,
  but twice - are reptiles fated to lose to monkeys!?!?!  Hayato corrects him,
  saying that this is actually the third time your people have beaten him.

  Get one of the Getters to fight Radora, but don't shoot him down before
  clearing the board.

  Goll is worth a Large Generator.  He's a pouty, unbelieving loser too.
  Actually, he's not quite dead yet, and with very bad timing the ship's power
  plant is about to go out of control.  Goll is in fact feeling fine despite
  losing - maybe he'll go for a walk and die like an Emperor should.  He plans
  to take you all with you, and at this rate the field will collapse before
  the ship's explosion is contained, resulting in everything in a five
  kilometer radius being obliterated.  The Eraserhead can't make it here from
  GGG headquarters, but the power of Getter Robo can neutralize all the
  energy.  Hayato realizes what Ryou plans to do, and agrees with Ryou that
  nothing is impossible for Getter.  Kouji asks if he's REALLY telling the
  truth when he says leave it up to him and to evacuate everyone else, and
  Ryou says of course he is.  Amuro after some hesitation decides to believe
  in the Getter team, and orders everyone to pull out.  After everyone goes,
  Ryou says the plan is to use Getter to blow the Megazaurus completely to
  smithereens before it explodes, though he's not sure if it'll work or not.
  In fact, he did lie slightly to get everyone else to get the heck out, but
  the Getter Team as a whole is willing to go through with it.  Not that
  Ryou plans to die here anyway.  Goll mocks their attempts, saying they don't
  understand the true terror of Getter Rays: they're not only energy that
  evolves living things, but also destroys them.  Benkei doesn't believe him,
  but Goll asks why else the monkeys evolved into humans while his own kingdom
  fled to the Magma layer?  Getter Rays chose humanity, or rather imprisoned
  it.  In fact, if something better comes along, Getter Rays will wipe out
  mankind too!  Ryou doesn't buy this, and says that the future of everyone is
  alongside Getter Rays, and it's time to see who's got the right idea!
  Musashi tears out his Getter Reactor to get things going...

The Orphan crew detects a large explosion of Getter Rays, which seems
responsible for Orphan restarting to surface.  At this rate, it'll emerge
above the waterline in two weeks.  Isami figures that it'll be time for a new
step for mankind soon - time to acknowledge what Kant Kestonar theorized.
Meanwhile, Savalas has observed that all the Getter Rays got sucked
underground, which something assumes is a result of interaction between the
Getter Rays and Beamlar.  In fact, the Beamlar's reawakening should go even
faster now, which should be a next step for all mankind.  Savalas asks if that
would make this disorderly battle the "chaos" that exists before Creation: yes,
all these fights are part of a larger flow, and that flow will help Kenta
mature along with it.

Thanks to the Getters, the Dividing Driver's field is repaired, Goll's mech is
toasted, and Machineland is more or less wiped out.  There's no trace of
Getter activity, but a very angry Kouji won't give up and leave this place
without the Getter team.  He wants to go and search, and as others volunteer
Irui tells Kusuha that Ryouma is alive.  She can't say how she knows, but just
then a Megazaurus emerges, with something clinging to it.  It's Radora, who
tells you that he's positively brought back the two Getter Robos.

  This would be if you took the steps required to get him - and some other
  NEATO stuff below.

After losing consciousness and receiving medical care, Radora explains that he
saved them because he owed you one and because you taught him what a human
heart is worth.  He says that now that he's lost a place to call homeland, he
plans to gracefully exit like a defeated warrior, but Ryou tells him that he
_does_ have a home - here!  Ryou asks him to lend your people his strength, if
he understands human hearts.  Radora is amazed that you'd extend that offer to
him, a former enemy, but Hayato says that yesterday's enemies are frequently
tomorrow's friends within this unit of yours.  PLUS, Ryouma figures there may
be some meaning in Radora's remaining alive despite his exposure to all those
Getter Rays.  Radora agrees to this, seeing as how he has nowhere else to go
anyway.

Musashi has sustained enough injuries that he'll have to stop piloting for a
while.  Michiru will then switch to Red Command, to support Ryouma and the
other remaining team members.  Sakon has modified Black Getter so Ryou and the
crew can pilot it, "just in case".  Just then Miwa calls up and thanks you for
your hard work in destroying one of the subterranean threats.  Based on that,
he won't press charges of insubordination for what it took to achieve.  He
reminds you however that the Jama and Mikeene are still around - and orders you
to head over and attack the Jama's main base immediately.  When Daimoji begs
for a chance to rest and replenish from the attack, Miwa won't hear a word of
it: does Daimoji intend to see the same thing that happened to Osaka happen
again?  Daimoji agrees finally, and after Miwa hangs up has the message relayed
to everyone else that you're going to attack the Jama base forthwith.

  You get a Minovsky Craft, two Propellant Tanks, two Cartridges, and two
  Repair Kits.


Stage 25. Hirakareta Jigoku no Tobira ("The Gates of Hell, Opened")

Hiroshi has been quiet, and when Mitchi tries to ask what's wrong he asks her
to leave him alone.  She won't do that, seeing as how she's his partner, and
tells him that he's got to keep his act together given that the showdown with
the Jama Empire is coming up soon.  He tells her that it isn't _he_ who has to
keep his act together - it's Jeeg.  He then stalks off, bumping into your
other pilots who wonder why he's so pissed.  Kouji tells him that if he's
worrying about something, he should tell your people - they just might be able
to help.  Hiroshi says that it's nothing to do with your guys, and Tetsuya
tells Kouji to let Hiroshi be - after all, this isn't the first time he's been
antisocial.  After a moment, Hiroshi has a question for Ryou - why did he save
the rest of your people back there?  Facing Goll, there was no guarantee that
Ryou would come back alive.  Ryou asks if he needs a reason to save his
comrades, and Hiroshi tells Mitchi that he hasn't become scared of fighting:
he's started to feel that it's all in vain.  Once this fight is over, he feels
that he'll be nothing more than an unneeded cyborg - he can't recover his
former happiness as a human any more!  He tells Mitchi to stop trying to
comfort him, figuring that she, like everyone else, wants the machine him to
fight and will the promptly discard him afterwards.  Tetsuya has about heard
enough of that kind of talk, and Ryou has to stop a fight from breaking out.
Tetsuya stays his hand, telling Hiroshi that they'll finish this after the
showdown with the Jama, and warns Hiroshi not to try to run away from him.  He
leaves Hiroshi with one final word before the battle: whether Hiroshi becomes
nothing more than a mere fighting machine or not depends solely on him.  Maybe
that got Hiroshi's attention finally?

Himika is informed that your dudes are on the way, and that Jeeg is among them.
 Himika likes the sound of that, and orders all her people to prepare to attack
with full force.  Gorgon wants to help out in this battle, in particular to
take out the Mazingers.  Himika certainly seems to think this will help save
her ass...

Your people begin planning the assault.  Synapse announces that the Taikuu
Maryuu will lead the charge, and tells your people that the enemy are believed
to know of your advance and are presumably preparing for battle.  He wants
your opinions on the two possible battle plans.  Burning describes plan one,
which involves sending in a recon group followed by the main force.  The other
amounts to a unanimous charge.  Really, it boils down to general danger for
everyone, or reduced danger for the main force and elevated danger for the
advance elements.  Your people predictably split between the bull-rushing,
comrade-favoring plan B and the information-o-centric plan A.  The deciding
vote comes down to Hiroshi.

  I chose Plan A.

Hiroshi thinks it'd be wise to figure out what Himika is up to - plus, he
knows she's after him - he can serve as a decoy.  Tetsuya is glad to see that
Hiroshi is beginning to see the light, and Synapse says that this dangerous
mission would certainly be quite helpful to the rest of the squad.  Hiroshi
says that that's what Jeeg's around for.

Hiroshi says that the scenery in this enemy HQ is pretty grim, and when the
bad guys pop out they've got your people surrounded.  Ikima figures that
Hiroshi just did the whole "moth to a flame" thing, and Amaso tells Hiroshi to
prepare to be killed so the secret of the bell can be his.  Hiroshi tells
Mitchi not to worry - these few enemies are nothing to him.

  On 1.5, some enemies appear right out of the ground.  Hiroshi gets impatient
  with this on turn 2, and tells Mitchi that he'll take care of the enemies
  underground.  Mitchi tells him that that's too dangerous - the bad guys will
  surely have reported to their friends of your position - probably a certain
  enemy who hasn't been moving.  You've got to defeat that enemy and then
  report into the Taikuu Maryuu... within four turns.

  Ikima is worth a Dual Sensor.

  When you take out the enemy sentry, Hiroshi has Mitchi contact the rest of
  your forces.  Ikima figures that there's nothing left for it but a full
  frontal assault.  But so do your dudes - meaning that it's time for a frag
  down.

  Amaso is worth a Booster.  Mimashi is worth a Magnetic Coating.

  On turn five, the Mikeene show up and trade a bit of trash talk with the
  Mazinger pilots.

  Once you defeat enough of the Jama, Himika appears herself.  She commands
  your people to submit, and when they don't she summons up some lightning.
  Tetsuya is not impressed by her sorcery, saying that Great Mazinger can
  pull that trick off too.  He tells her that if she wants to surprise your
  dudes, she needs something minute like what Borot can do.

  For the Skill Point, take everyone else down first before the enraged Himika.

  If Tetsuya fights Gorgon, he'll demand to know why Gorgon joined forces with
  the Jama.  Gorgon will only say that if he gets his hands on the bronze bell,
  it'll spell the beginning of the true resurrection of the Mikeene.  He's
  worth a Super Alloy Z.  Your people will be a bit surprised at how quickly
  he pulls out.  Gorgon in fact is glad he's "helped out" here, and merely
  waits for Himika to get the bell...

  Himika is worth a Hachimaki.  She, like all great super robot villains, can't
  seem to accept the fact that she's been killed by you.  If it only weren't
  for Shiba and Jeeg, she'd have gotten her hands on the secret of that bell!
  She says that as she dies, she'll use all of her witchcraft against you.

  She then wreathes Jeeg in flames, vowing to burn his heart to a crisp.  But
  in fact, there is no heat signature - this is a spiritual attack.  Tetsuya,
  realizing this, tells Hiroshi to strengthen the power of his heart - these
  flames are nothing but the enemy's illusion.  Tetsuya reminds Hiroshi that
  all humans have hearts - and he has got to use the power within his to fight!
  Himika thinks she's won, telling Hiroshi that as a mere made-up puppet he
  has no way to elude her enchantment.  Hiroshi disagrees, telling her that
  even more than being Jeeg, he's a cyborg with a human heart: Shiba Hiroshi!
  Himika isn't gonna win this one, but just then a huge earthquake begins.
  Daimoji orders everyone to pull out, and tells Hiroshi that he doesn't intend
  your people to share the same fate as the Jama Empire... your fight doesn't
  end here!  Your people rapidly flee, and Gorgon realizes that he's about to
  get buried alive too.  Just then Himika's voice comes to her subordinates -
  though her fleshly body is about to crumble, she's been able to enter Jeeg
  and get the secret of the bell.  Time to revive the lord of Hell...  When
  said lord comes forth, Himika asks it to take her life in exchange for wiping
  out mankind and granting eternal glory to her kingdom.  The lord of Hell
  begins to chuckle, finally awakened from its long, long slumber.  It informs
  Himika that its names is the Emperor of Darkness, the ruler of Mikeene.
  Himika has realized her error faaaar too late...

  Himika's lackeys figure that Gorgon is behind Himika's death, but he informs
  them that Himika gave her life for this new Emperor to be reawakened.  When
  Mimashi wonders where said emperor is, Gorgon informs him that He has gone to
  his rightful place - the Mikeene Empire.  As the three of them are about to
  turn on him in wrath, he asks them if they _really_ want to make the entire
  Mikeene Empire their enemy.  Their enemy should be his enemy: they humans who
  brought their kingdom to ruin.  Surely they want to get even for what became
  of their Empress, and Gorgon will even lend them a hand for what they've done
  for the Mikeene.  Gorgon goes so far as to tell them that they won't even be
  Mikeene slaves, but allies on equal footing - and hell, depending on how
  they play their cards, their own empire might even get reborn after all.
  The three of them buy into this plan, which Gorgon figures makes them as
  even more manipulable, simple-minded dolts than before...

  Though Hiroshi's official reason to fight is now over, he tells Tetsuya that
  he plans to stay with the Alpha Numbers.  Hiroshi realizes now very well
  that there are many more battles to fight and enemies to defeat than just
  the Jama.  As Tetsuya walks off, Jun explains to Hiroshi that Tetsuya was
  quite worried about him - seeing in Hiroshi his own former self before Kouji
  made him realize that he was more than just a trained combat machine.  While
  Hiroshi still doesn't like being lectured, he freely admits that he couldn't
  have taken down the Jama without Kouji and Tetsuya's help.  Now, it's his
  turn to help them.  Looks like Mitchi and Jun both have stiff-exteriored
  partners to deal with...

  The Mikeene emperor is back, with one goal: total domination of the Surface.
  He commands his subordinates to confer swift death on any who should stand in
  the way.  The idea is to wipe out humans and make this planet theirs...


Stage 26.

Your mecha are about thirty minutes away from maintenance being completed.
Taiga contacts Synapse, congratulating him on the subterranean victory.
Synapse notes soberly that the Mikeene are still around - the fight has likely
just begun.  Taiga breaks the bad news that Orphan has just resumed surfacing:
it's expected to break the surface of the Pacific in a few days.  The calamity
of it fully surfacing (especially given its Organic Energy) would be heinous
beyond compare.  Novus Noa is working on ways of stopping the darn thing, and
Taiga would like Synapse to help out if the other enemies aren't doing
anything.  Synapse agrees to rendezvous with the Novus Noa for the time being.

Their plan is "simple": to use the Organic Energy from the plates to trap
Orphan in a "Vital Net".  This is an intriguing, if not exactly elementary
procedure: Orphan is over 150 kilometers long.  Gaybridge explains that if they
can just keep Orphan's "head" under water, the energy Orphan gives should
backfire, and make the thing sink again.  Basically, they want your people to
support the Novus Noa in the likely event that the Reclaimers try to interfere
with the Vital Net, and Synapse agrees to help so long as no other problems
bring your people away.

Your people muse over their long-awaited return to the Novus Noa.  Hime is
still apparently jealous of Kanan, but Gaybridge forestalls any argument by
presenting Yuu's grandma.  More or less, the Isami family is actually two
lineages, and she was the one looking after Yuu and his sister before they
went to Orphan.  Gaybridge personally admitted her to the ship, saying that
she's an old acquaintance of his (Rasse figures this means they were once
lovers).

Synapse is still not a firm believer in Organic Energy, but is going along with
the plan as the highest-probability way of winning.  Just then Kobayashi Hayato
calls in from the Preventers.  Synapse has heard quite about him from Bright,
and Amuro jokingly asks in surprise if he's gotten even fatter.  Hayato's wife
is doing fine, and asks Amuro to pass her regards to Katsu.  The small talk
gets cut short, and Hayato tells Synapse that the Neo-Jion have sent several
mobile suits to North America.  Their number isn't many, but Hayato figures
it's a prologue to Char doing something again.  Hayato would like you to go
check it out, but says if you're tied up with the Novus Noa's work he'll send
the Preventers instead.

  Here the game splits in two - the Vital Net side will be marked with a V
  and the Neo Jion pursuit side with a N.

Stage 26V. Aiirenu Sonzai ("Mutually Exclusive Things")

After Synapse decides to prioritize the Novus Noa stuff, Amuro asks Hayato to
contact your people as soon as he knows what's going on with the Neo Jion
units.  Meanwhile, Anoir is reiterating her less than complete trust for Yuu,
the former Reclaimer.  Gaybridge and Yuu's grandma both plead his case, and
Anoir relents.  She is not entirely easy about the notion that this conflict
will turn father and son, brother and sister against each other.  Apparently,
she's feeling rather powerless compared to the metallic Brain Powerds..

Apparently you've got a new Brain Powerd person on hand: Higgins.  She asks if
there's a Plate aboard the ship (there is), and wonders if it might not
Revival upon seeing her.  Elsewhere, Hime asks why Yuu doesn't talk with his
grandma, despite being so happy to see her.  He testily tells her it's none of
her business, and she really gives him a tongue lashing about both his grandma
and Kanan, challenging him to shut her up with a kiss or something if he still
disagrees, like he did before.  Yuu is in the process of protesting that he's
not that base when a gaggle of kiddies wander on deck, along with Gai.
Apparently, their presence here will increase the chances of the Vital Net
working - since kids are "purer" than adults but especially since Mamoru has
his special power.  Mamoru is actually a bit surprised when Gai tells him all
he has to do is hang out on the ship - and to try not to get in the other
people's way.

Something bad is afoot, when Irui shows up at the bridge.  She's been forced
to do so by Jonathan, apparently an old acquaintance of Anoir's.  She had no
idea that he had become a Reclaimer, but he tells her to stay back, lest the
explosives he's carrying blow away the entire bridge.  By old acquaintance, we
apparently mean "mother and son".  He reminds her that she's a woman who threw
away her son, and demands she transfer command to him.  He observes angrily
that it must have been hard for a woman who couldn't nurture love for a man to
nurture a son either - so hard that she abandoned him and hid in her work.
She tells him that she loves him, and flips an emergency switch that will now
require her voice authorization for anything to happen on the ship.  All this
really seems to accomplish is that Jonathan takes both her AND Irui hostage.

Jonathan tells the kids to be patient a bit longer, but Anoir tells him to let
her become his only hostage.  Jonathan figures that she plans to shoot him as
soon as the kids are free, but she tells him she has no intention of shooting
her son.  He's not buying it, and figures that she's led him to this armored
part of the ship to minimize the damage from his explosives.  In fact, he
figures that giving birth to him was also part of her plan, since that's the
kind of woman she is.  Yuu then runs up, and Jonathan tells him that the two
of them are different - to achieve his goals, he won't hesitate to kill his
own mother.  As your people digest this, Kusuha begs Jonathan to release the
hostages - and Yuu asks Jonathan when he became such a small man that he had
to take hostages.  Jonathan tells Yuu that he won't succumb to that kind of
provocation since he, unlike Yuu, faithfully carries out his missions.  Anoir
tells Jonathan that he carries the DNA of a truly great person - he should
understand how foolish his actions are.  Jonathan isn't pleased to hear that
she values DNA over guy/girl emotions - did she in fact purchase some genius's
sperm and become a "single mother"??  Is his (questionable) personality not
then the result of those very same genes?!  Anoir then blames the fault on her
own DNA, not on the sperm - in which case, Jonathan says, she should never
have had kids.  He demands that she never claim to be his mother again, but
Shouko points out that the only reason he can run his mouth like this is
because she gave him birth.  Jonathan demands to know how a woman incapable of
loving even a single man can call herself a mother.  Gaybridge tells him that
she actually loved Maihi, but Jonathan yells back that that kind of one- sided
love could never rub off on a child.  This apparently strikes a chord with
Irui, and just then Kumazou asks if Jonathan wants his mother's breasts: he
figures that sucking on them must be why Jonathan came here! [@_@!!!!!  Who the
fuck writes this stuff?!?!?!?!]  Jonathan straight loses it at this point and
beats Kumazou to the ground, promising in rage to blow his face off.  Anoir
orders him not to touch the kid, which Jonathan is hardly in the mood to heed,
and Kumazou tells him that if he goes through with it he'll never get his
mother's breasts.  Anoir asks if he knows who he's dealing with - if he doesn't
stop, she, his mother, will kill him.  Just then Juuzou comes out of nowhere
and shoots the gun out of Jonathan's hand, as promised.  Apparently Jonathan
still has his explosives, but Shingo shoots and severs the detonator cord.
Anoir now demands that Jonathan give himself up, promising not to harm him -
which he figures is a lie that she's been saying all these years.  She is in
fact the one who's betrayed him, even if she denies it.  He begins to recount
all the Christmases she never gave him a present, or even a card or telegram.
Will she now give him a bullet instead of those presents?!  Yuu yells at
Jonathan to accept his fate, but Jonathan isn't planning on that.  He tells
Kumazou that he knows when to pull out, telling Kumazou that he's a very
respectable little kid.  He offers Kumazou a Granger if he comes with him to
Orphan, which Kumazou refuses.
 He also apologizes to Irui for all the fear he's caused her, and runs off.

No surprise, here come the Grangers.  Jonathan tells Yuu that he's someone who
plans ahead - PLUS, he wouldn't have any fun if Orphan got ensnared in the
Vital Globe netting.  Yuu asks him if this is just more bile towards his
mother, and Jonathan says it's impudent of that little ship to try to stop
Orphan.  Just then Mamoru tells Gai that there's a Zondar on the scene.

  For the Skill Point, clear the map in seven turns.  Good play can do it in
  more like four.

  Shiela is worth a Magnetic Coating.

  On turn 2.5, Penchinon appears and starts commenting on all the abominable
  forces arrayed before him (living machines, organic machines, etc. etc.)
  He decides to wipe you all out, and Zondar appear.  The Brians get very
  upset, and Jonathan refuses to heed Yuu's warning to escape.  Jonathan figures
  that they're Anti Organic Machines, and that fighting them is his job as a
  Reclaimer.  Penchinon likes the thought that you humans will kill each other
  off, and figures that after all of you are dead he'll take Orphan over to
  use as a Zondar Plant.

  On turn three, a very unbalanced Edgar shows up to take out the traitor Yuu.
  Something is strange about his Chakra light, and Edgar seems to be going
  out of control.  This is likely to get ugly, and Amuro tells everyone to
  concentrate on taking down Edgar and the Zondar (i.e., it's your victory
  condition).

  Jonathan is worth a Megabooster.

  Edgar is worth a Biosensor.  He demands to know what's wrong with his
  Granger - it's got power, doesn't it?  Even power to not lose to Jonathan?
  Isn't that what it told him, that together they'd take out Jonathan and make
  Orphan theirs?  Yuu is appalled by that kind of daydream, and Camille realizes
  that this is the fate of all those who get sucked in by Orphan.  Yuu wonders
  if this was Rejection, or if it has something to do with coming in contact
  with the Zondar.

  The Zondar is worth a Study Computer.

As the battle seems to be over, Irui and Mamoru sense a Brain somewhere nearby
- maybe one just Revived near you?  The Plate does indeed seem to be reviving
- but something is taking oddly too long.  Yuu is positive that a Brian Powerd
and not a Granger will come forth, and he's... half right.  There are _two_
"Brainchilds" that come forth: twins!  They look respectively at Kanan and
Higgins, and Yuu tells Hime that twins, triplets, etc. never once happened
among the Grangers at Orphan.  The Brains look at the sensitive kids as though
to say thank you for noticing them, and Irui feels like the Brains are
smiling.
 Yuu wonders if _this_ is the sort of effect Irene figured organic things would
have, and ponders the Rejection Edgar suffered taken together with the
children finding new Brains.  Kanan is marveling at how this new Brain seems
"used" to her already, and isn't draining her life energy away.  Looks like
Yuu's father's theory was wrong after all, which Yuu is hardly surprised at.
This is why it's dangerous to leave Orphan in his father's hands.

Just then Gaybridge has received orders from the Federation to halt the Vital
Net operation.  It seems the Federation government has revised its view of
just how dangerous Orphan is, figuring it as just some harmless relic.
Shishiou knows that only the very highest level of the Federation government,
the Governor, could hand down such an order without going through the GGG
first.  This "Governor" is a mysterious figure who controls the Reclaimers, who
even Yuu has never met.  Apparently this person's governmental and military
influence is enough to have convened some meeting to discuss the issue
further, where the representative for the Reclaimers will be Yuu's father.  Yuu
figures this is a transparent attempt by his father to buy time for Orphan to
surface, but in this Shishiou sees a chance... a chance to gather information
about Orphan.

  Note that you now have the two new [powerful] Brainchild units to use...


Stage 26N. Sakuryaku no Daichi ("Land of Intrigue")

When Synapse agrees to go to North America, and Hayato sends some protectors
to help out at Novus Noa.  Unfortunately, by the time your people reach
Preventer HQ it turns out that the advance Jion forces have disappeared.  This
suggests that they've got some outside help, and Hayato figures that it could
only be the Reclaimers given what the Antibodies can do.  Burning doubts that
the two groups would work together, but Sally figures that it could happen if
there was someone who could bridge the differences between the two camps.
After all, both groups are after the elimination of Earthnoids.  Synapse notes
that whoever this unifying figure is, he'd have to be someone of immense
power: someone with both political and military influence.  Amuro is lost in
thought, and Hayato asks him what he thinks.  About that unifier, or about
Char's stratagems?  Hayato asks for both, and Amuro says that while he has no
guess about who the unifier might be, if they've lent a hand without
understanding Char's plans, they must be a _considerable_ idiot.  And if they
_do_ understand his plans, they're someone irrational - and therefore to be
greatly feared.  As for Char's plan, Amuro believes the advance group were sent
to acquire some sort of "trump card" for the upcoming conflict - and that
trump card is probably nuclear.  Amuro notes that Char wouldn't use any sort
of half-assed method to reach his goal of Earthnoids elimination, and as Sally
notes there _are_ nuclear weapons situated in North America as an emergency
means of combating the alien and subterranean threat.  Synapse figures that
the guard of these weapons must have been fortified after the theft of the
GP-02, but Amuro counters that things are quite different if the Reclaimers
are involved.  Hayato asks Sally to match the Neo Jion units' trail against
known nuclear locations, and Synapse hopes to ask Gaybridge to check up on
anyone within the military who might be helping the bad guys due to his former
military connections.  Amuro inwardly doubts this will be enough to predict
Char's plans, and Hayato tells him not to put too much pressure on himself.
He tells a startled Amuro that looking at him now reminds him of Amuro's old
self; Amuro responds that he's not the person he once was.  He won't give in to
Char's Pressure ever again...!

Duo is hard at work maintaining his mech, drawing admiration from some of the
other young guys.  Tobia wonders if it's really okay to be hanging out here,
and Duo points out to him that your people have to "cook before they leap".
Volfogg sneaks up, telling the smug Duo that it's actually "look before they
leap", and Duo compliments him on actually eluding Duo's notice.  This would
be do to Volfogg's holographic camouflage, and Volfogg actually has a request
for Duo, whose Deathscythe is, like Volfogg himself, specially optimized for
covert operations.  Volfogg's idea was to join Duo in sniffing out the enemy's
movements, but just the the alarm goes off and cuts them short.  The Neo Jion
are on the move in Arizona - a long way from here.  It could even be that the
bad guys have been informed of your position, but Volfogg has an idea...

So much for the fortified guard: the bad guys have stolen both nuclear fuel
and nuclear warheads.  The base commander wonders how the hell they managed to
circumvent the defense system, and Cima seems preoccupied as she orders her
subordinate to notify HQ that the operation succeeded.  She's remembering the
poison gas attacks she participated in during the One Year War, thinking that
this time the WoMD of choice is nukes.  Suffice it to say, she's not happy
about her role in all of this, and figured that the Red Comet could probably
care less.  Kou recognizes Cima in her Garvela Tetra - your dudes aren't happy
to be fighting her squadron - especially since they've already purloined the
nukes.  Cima orders her men to put up a good fight - at least until
reinforcements arrive in two turns.

  For a Skill Point, defeat Cima before she reaches the North edge of the map.
  This should be doable in, like, a SINGLE MOVE, though you may want to take
  out her escorts first just for the XP and money.  She and anyone with her
  will flee on the spot, daring anyone else to try to chase her.

  On turn 3, a bunch of Reclaimers led by Quincy show up.  Quincy is glad to
  see the sun again after so long, thinking that she'd love to show this to
  Yuu and wondering where he's gone.  When Yuu sees her machine, his Brain
  begins to act up, and Quincy notes dryly that the Alpha Numbers are the
  ones who act all aggressive first at the mere appearance of her people.
  Predictably, she and Yuu start to argue immediately.  She won't tell Yuu why
  the Reclaimers are helping the Neo Jion.

  Quincy is worth a Megabooster.  Her machine becomes difficult to control,
  and Yuu hastens over to her, telling her that her actions will amount to
  nothing.  His mech begins to glow - is this light Organic Energy?  Quincy
  doesn't seem to know where she is, and Hime tells Yuu to look around him:
  green grass and flowers are growing, and glowing.  Quincy asks Yuu if he
  remembers when he gave her flowers, when they were little kids still living
  with their grandma.  That present, for Quincy's birthday, made her extremely
  happy  Yuu doesn't remember, and that seems to prick Quincy's mood, since she
  starts up again with the "betraying the whole family" bit.  Yuu disagrees,
  saying that even Quincy seems to understand what he's saying when she's away
  from Orphan.  Yelling that Yuu will hurt Orphan, she flees the area.  Yuu,
  rather pissed by now, wants to know what Quincy finds so bad about this
  world.

Looks like both the nukes got stolen and the enemy captain got away.  Tobia
wants to pursue right away, but Kincaidu restrains him: plans for pursuit are
already underway.  He tells Tobia that he'll see when he gets back to base.
Does this mean some kind of tracking device?  No, something even more reliable
than that, and the Gundam Wing boys expect a contact any moment now.  It's
Volfogg, who's been trailing the bad guys who, as expected, are preparing to
leave North America.  Duo is with him too, who's glad to be doing small unit
ops again.  Gai notes that the team of the famous Sweeper and the ace of the
GGG's intelligence division is the strongest pursuit squad around.  Volfogg is
certain the bad guys are headed for Africa, presumably for a discreet launch
back into space after rendezvousing with some of the Jion survivors.  Your
people will go at meet them shortly, but there's still the problem of the
Reclaimers.  Yuu suddenly realizes that the Governor must be involved in their
alliance with Neo-Jion: a shadowy figure he's never met, but has heard wields
considerable influence in both the government and military.  Yuu sardonically
says that the Neo Jion, who will happily use nukes, and the Reclaimers, mere
husks of human souls, make a fine pair.  Banjou is worried about this new
puppet master, whose aims he can't fathom.  Yuu begins to head off, hotly
telling Hime that he can't let the Reclaimers get ahead of him - he's going to
participate in the Vital Net operation and sink Orphan by his own hand.  Hime
tells him to settle down - the Novus Noa should already have things under
control.  He demands to know how he is supposed to settle down when even his
own sister is on the front lines, but Amuro tells him that Hime is right: the
Reclaimers aren't your only enemy.  Yuu retorts that he left the Reclaimers
for the express purpose of sinking Orphan, and says that he'll do as he
pleases, but Amuro counters that he's now a member of the Alpha Numbers:
selfish actions won't be tolerated.  Besides, he and his Brains power are
needed for the attack you're about to mount.  Yuu demands to know what Amuro
intends to do then: imprison him like a good military man would?  Yes, if
necessary.  The two exchange stares for a moment, and then Yuu relents.  He
realizes that Amuro himself has put his personal duel with Char Aznable on hold
to work with the Alpha Numbers - he's not the only one with irritating stuff to
deal with.  He walks off, with Hime trailing behind trying to get him to stop,
which Banjou figures is par for the course for Yuu.  Amuro realizes that young
people always think they can do things by themselves... and that excessive
confidence and rage inevitably causes damage to people around them.  Banjou
likes the weight of experience he hears in Amuro's words, having heard from
Katsu quite a bit about Amuro's deeds during the One Year War.  Amuro isn't
entirely pleased to hear that, but Banjou tells him not to worry - he's now a
fine adult, and a good example for Camille and Yuu.  Amuro hopes so, and prays
that Hime is able to guide Yuu in the right direction without his having to
meddle.  This is the sort of thinking Banjou loves to see in a leader, though
Amuro and he both agree that Char wouldn't be satisfied with this level of
leadership.  He seems to want to guide all of mankind, and Amuro figures that
Char has finally shaken off his numbness and stood up directly.  Little by
little, Amuro is finally beginning to see how Char thinks, and thinks to
himself that as long as Char continues to fixate on him, Char's talk of fixing
the world is nothing more than a personal duel.  He inwardly tells Char not to
disappoint him.


Stage 27V. FARUKON Hametsu no Kiki ("The Falcon Faces Destruction")

The Four Celestial Generals of the Zayla army have come to Rihitel's underwater
base.  Rihitel notes that he's been left in command of the forces from Zayla,
as well as Barm and Boazan... that being the case, why have they come to his
base unannounced?  They bring word that Olban isn't satisfied with the lack of
progress here, and have brought Rihitel's replacement, an old friend of
Rihitel's as it turns out: Aizam.  Rihitel is, to say the least, outraged over
his command being revoked, saying that even on Olban's orders there are some
things he won't do, and foremost among them is forsake his quest for Barm
vengeance on the humans.  He demands that Aizam draw his sword and duel him to
determine whoever the next commander of this base is, and Aizam responds by
instructing Rihitel to kill him, his friend.  Rihitel can't exactly do that
either, and that's why Aizam wants to work _with_ Rihitel to see that his
wishes are done.  Bergan claims to be moved himself by this show of beautiful
friendship, offering to loan them a newly developed secret weapon.  Rihitel
tells Aizam that he's about to challenge the Alpha Numbers to a fight to the
death in order to lift the stain from his name - and Aizam agrees that Olban
will surely acknowledge Rihitel's power should he win.  With this new ally on
his side, Rihitel figures your people are as good as road pizza.

Kanan is looking at her Brain, wondering if it's taking the cockpit equipment
that's been added to it okay.  Rasse then shows up, claiming he's not
particularly keeping her under surveillance so much as wanting to know how it
differs from a Granger.  Basically, the twins nerves are a lot rawer than the
Brains the others drive, so she's staying by its side to try to get it used to
her.  Rasse had wondered if it wasn't more that she wanted to be close to her
younger lover, but Kanan maintains that Yuu and she aren't like that at all.

Keith and Kou have receive a half-watch off, and Keith wants to go somewhere
and have fun.  Kou, typically, wants to work on backing up the Stamen's data
instead, so he can give it to Nina eventually.  This is what passes as a "love
call" for those two it seems, but Monsha shows up just then with "orders" for
the two of them to sortie - to a bar, to drink with Monsha and the crew.  Kou
is rather surprised, noting that it's still the middle of the day, but the
older pilots to a man insist that this is the way pilots have to live: taking
their rest when they can get it.

Meanwhile, Kouji offers to drop Mamoru and the crew off in town on his
motorcycle.  Boz manages to challenge Kouji to a race, though Boz's friends
really hope Boz doesn't manage to injure himself on this rare time off.
Hyouma will be in on it too, though OVA is far from convinced that this unsafe
activity will be good for the kids.  OVA finally relents, but on the condition
that she(?) come along too.  Hiroshi and Mitchi are about to go to town as
well, to get some auto parts, which Tetsuya intervenes and tells him he's got
training to attend to.  But he shouldn't worry - Tetsuya will be right there
by his side, while the girls go to town.  Hiroshi would almost rather be on
dispatch at this rate...

Kusuha meanwhile is hard at work cooking something secret, which she'll let
Irui try if it turns out okay.  Just then a bunch of the other female pilots
show up, marveling at all the weird training equipment lining Kusuha's room.
They manage to quickly get her attention by mentioning that there's a very
unusual bath house nearby, which triggers Kusuha's otaku genes immediately.
Irui is going to come to, but of course the aliens choose that moment to
attack Big Falcon!  Your people are in high dudgeon over this, especially
Kusuha.  "Grudges over baths aren't pretty."

Miwa is yelling in anger that he'll never let the bad guys take over while his
eyes are black, but they start blasting his ass and possibly making him
reconsider.  Of course, when your dudes show up he orders you to get rid of
the aliens already, without a word of gratitude.  Somehow, some enemy manages
to pop out of the water and blast the Taikuu Maryuu, though your people can
still sortie.  Hiiro finds it odd that there's so few of the enemy: there's no
"commander" or "mothership"-like units in evidence.  This may be some kind of
trap to lure your people in somehow - which would mean that the raid which
just struck you is very fishy.  Duo points out that you don't have time to
debate right now - taking out the enemy comes first.

  Wipe them out.  All of them.  Within four turns, if you want a Skill Point.
  Good play can do it in half that.

  One of the enemies has a Dual Sensor.  Another has a Chobham Armor.  Yet
  another has a Magnetic Coating.

Your people are nonplussed at how easily the enemy caved in - you may have
fallen for some kind of... trap!  And sure enough, there it is.  It's Bergan,
with another device designed expressly to skew the game slightly less against
the bad guys' side.  More like some kind of poison gas or something that seems
to have been introduced in that previous attack.  Ken'ichi is the only one who
seems unaffected.  It is in fact the Boazanelia fungus, which has just
stricken everyone else with some kind of plague that noone but the Boazan
residents have an immunity to.  So, except for the three V pilots, everyone
else is in deep shit (defined as, Morale 50, and no magic).  You could
concentrate on defense if this worries you.

  After a couple turns of this, Miwa wants to know how come your dudes aren't
  attacking.  Balbas for his part doesn't like this way of doing things, but
  Bergen tells him he's in no position to talk since "fair and square" combat
  got Balbas nowhere.  He orders Balbas to use "the item", which turns out
  to be some mech named Zonnekaizer that Balbas figures is a fitting agent
  of your valiant people's death.  The bad news is that any attempt by your
  people to harm it outright doesn't work, which a triumphant Balbas ascribes
  to hyper-elastic alloy that will absorb everything your weapons can dish
  out.  Kazuya either didn't hear him or didn't believe him, and waltzes over
  and decks the damn thing.  This accomplishes nothing other than reducing
  him to 5% of his HP, but fortunately Shishiou knows the way to destroy soft
  things.  He demands that Daimoji have all your dudes retreat immediately
  as part of his plan - besides, unless something is done about that fungus
  your people are all toast anyway.  Miwa demands to know if you're planning
  on running away from here, and Shishiou shouts back that if Miwa has time
  to yell, he'd best use it to run away too!  Miwa yells back if Shishiou
  expects him to abandon the base he's commander of, and Shishiou counters
  that if he doesn't hurry he'll abandon his life too.  As Miwa reluctantly
  orders the retreat, it sure looks like the Barmians have won, which Balbas
  says is all thanks to the mighty Zonnekaizer that Aizam lent him.  Rihitel
  can't thank Aizam enough, but Aizam simply ascribes this victory to the
  friendship they share.  Rihitel gets to enjoy a bit of vainglory and maniacal
  laughter...

Darius hears the news of the defeat by fungus and that hyper-elastic alloy
with some interest, noting that his Four Lords didn't have to lift a finger
after all.  He orders his Lords to stay at the undersea base and keep an eye on
Aizam and Bergan.  This is a precaution against Olban, who is undoubtedly
dissatisfied at all the help he's had to ask from the other races.  Darius is
sure Olban will turn on them as soon as he's done taking over the Earth.  As
the Lords accept this order, Darius muses over his homeworld's impending
demise at the hands of a black hole.  He's only got months left to take over
the Earth and move all the Zaylans here.

When the news of the rout reaches Erika and the crew, Erika has to be bodily
restrained from running off to Kazuya's side.  Melby points out to her that
running to Kazuya would solve nothing... which Riliina agrees with!  Riliina
says that it's not the right time to contact the Alpha Numbers, since their
peace movement would be a hindrance to them and since they themselves would
make an easy target.  Erika sees the wisdom in this, and is very glad she
invited Riliina here.  Melby is very glad to see such level heads prevailing,
figuring that they may yet be able to bring about peace with such women as the
symbols.  Melby then asks his general to deliver a little something for him,
which will help guide the Alpha Numbers to victory...


Stage 27N. Nessha no Kagerou ("Mayflies of the Burning Sands")

The robots are having an argument, and your crew rapidly tell them to take it
outside or something.  They finally explain that the argument is about the
conflicting requirements to serve humans and to fight against enemy mecha with
human pilots aboard.  This is stressing their AIs, or as Gai puts it
"hesitancy" or "pangs of the heart".  Gai, as their captain, considers their
statements, and at length tells them that it's up to them whether to
participate in the next operation.  The robots thank him and leave, and Gai
explains to your dubious pilots that the robots, huge as they are, are like
newborn children inside.  It will take them some time before they can overcome
all the conflicting emotions inside their hearts - not that Hiroshi can't
sympathize.  Tetsuya notes drily that going easy won't work on your next
opponents, ghosts of the Jion from the One Year War era.  Keeping the lid on
this one will take more than a single rope.

Cima meanwhile is chatting with the commander of the Kinbareid base, which is
in poor repair to say the least.  They can't even offer her a glass of wine
[they haven't had that spirit there since 0079 ^^;;;; ], and commander Peter
says that the place has basically had no maintenance ever since the war's end.
This would be to ensure that the base can serve as the absolute front line for
the offensive on Earth, a very long-standing order Cima is surprised to hear
is still being carried out.  She asks if his men have forgotten how to return
to space, and chuckling he concedes that they may have - their souls have been
caught in the Earth's gravity far too long.  However, they're about to be set
free: a report has just come in of an approaching Federation battalion.  Cima
has just found out to her displeasure that the escape from Arizona failed to
elude pursuit, and prepares to go out and face the enemy.  Peter insists on
handling your people, and Cima won't hear of it - Zakus would stand no chance
against your mass of Gundams and other heavy hitters.  When she tells him to
support her from within his burrow like a good mole should, but Peter is
determined to do everything in his power to see that Cima's assigned mission is
carried out.  She tells him he can keep his shit-eating "mission" - she does
things her own way.  Peter observes that her "independence" seems to have
started after the Jion Revolution, when in her words she learned all too well
how she herself was the only person she could trust.  Peter notes that the
scars from the nightmare of January Third are deep - the day when the One Year
War began.  Cima asks him if he knows (he keeps quiet), and admits to him that
she was the one who led the squad who dispersed the G3 gas into the colony.
Her men perpetrated the largest act of mass murder in history.  Peter had heard
that Cima had been told that the gas was non-fatal sleeping gas, but she says
that the deed could hardly be undone.  She was instantly branded a war
criminal, and her squadrons denied entry to Axis, which led to her actions to
gather Jion stragglers at Kalama Point.  She offered them the choice between
continuing the fight for the Earth Sphere and fleeing to Axis, but of course
that latter option wasn't even available - she and everyone under her lack even
the right to choose how to live.  The fruits of her strict devotion to her duty
turn out to be violation of military law and humiliation heaped on the Jion
name, and that's why she drifted through space until meeting up with Delaz.  As
your forces break through the first defense line, Cima once again wants to head
out.  Peter won't let her, not out of "duty" but as a request from all the men
and women of the base - lest everything all of them have done until now be for
naught.  Cima considers this long and hard, and finally smiles and accepts,
saying that though she's received many orders, he's the first one to ever
"request" something from her.  At the last, she asks him a question, since he's
lived on Earth so long: has he heard of some kind of insect called a "Mayfly".
Peter tells her it's a kind of moth with transparent wings - and a lifespan of
only a few short days.  This brings a bitter smile to Cima's face, as she
confides to Peter that "The Mayfly of Space" is the nickname she's been
given...

Everyone is in place, and Pete tells his soldiers that as soon as the
operation is over they're to surrender the base.  This brings protests, but he
tells that their role will be over if they lose mobile suits in this fight.  He
thanks them for their efforts until now, and says that their fight will be
taken up by a new Operation Stardust.  They should all think of this day as the
single purpose they've all fought so long and hard for, and Pete muses to
himself that if Cima is the "Mayfly of Space" his men are the "Mayflies of the
Burning Sands", whose short lives will all be staked on this day.

Your people for their part are quite startled to see nothing but Zakus, relics
from the One Year War by the look of them.  These really are Jion ghosts, and
Katsu thinks that such obsolete equipment surely can't stand in your way.
Other members of your team aren't so sure, and Simone detects the impending HLV
launch, nine turns away.  Synapse orders your people to wipe out the defenders
around the launch bay, as quickly as possible.

  You've got to wipe out the Jion forces in 8 turns, or in 7 for the Skill
  Point.  You should actually be able to force an ending (see below) in four,
  or end with the Skill Point in five with good strategy.

  One of the bad guys has a Booster.  Another has a Magnetic Coating.  Another
  has a Chobham Armor.

  Imagine this, an ambush on turn three.  Two of them has a Dual Sensors.

  More bad guys show up on turn four.  Gai yells out that your people all have
  something worth protecting.  He tells the robots to engrave the pain of
  killing the enemies into their hearts - THAT is the wall your people have to
  somehow scale.  He screams out to them to win, for the sake of everyone
  depending on them.

  Peter is worth a Hybrid Armor.  When you shoot him down, he stages a suicide
  attack on the Albion, getting in the way of the main cannon shooting down
  the HLV.  It appears that your people... lost, AND allowed Char to get hold
  of nuclear weapons.  The base then surrenders, summarily ending the map.

Cima makes it safely to space, where preparations are already made for the
next operation.  She's told that Peter was KIA, and the rest of the base's
soldiers have surrendered.  Char himself is pleased, but... has passed word
that Cima is not to show her face at Sweet Water.  This operation will be
treated as an independent action by a military faction, which Cima is all too
used to by now.
 Cima inwardly laments the futility of dying in battle, telling the departed
Peter that she's made it to space all the same, with a nuclear weapon and the
wishes of his men as her cargo.

Meanwhile, Kou in particular is quite upset after having seen the pride of the
Jion so abundantly displayed before his eyes.  He wonders if your people can
really defeat the pride of such warriors, so committed to their ideals.  Amuro
tells him that Char is currently supported by many people like that - if you
can't defeat them, you can't stop what Char's going to do... or would Kou
rather accept a revolution that will kill countless people?  Kou won't do that
- your people have their own pride after all.  The AIs agree, saying that if
the enemy is resolved, you've got to be resolved as well.  They tell Gai that
they've discovered the thing that everyone else has already faced and beaten
within, and resolve not to lose to it in the future.

Miwa is on hand with more of his usual insults for your letting the Jion
escape, though he figures it's not worth expending any further warpower to
take revenge for the North American Base.  Pete inquires whether the situation
has now exceeded the level a single military branch can adequately handle, and
Miwa furiously tells him, a mere soldier that if he wants his strategic input
he'll ram it up his ass first.  Even Pete is now wondering how the hell this
guy got to be the commander of the Far East base.  Miwa then orders you to head
to a point in the Pacific Ocean where some Barm have just landed, apparently
near their undersea base.  Your mission is of course to take out that base,
though Sakon points out that your people are somewhat depleted after the
continuous combat.  Miwa is aware of this, and tells you two swing by the
various labs along the way to pick up some new weaponry.  Pete is pissed at the
selfish way Miwa has been ordering you all around, but Sakon and Daimoji point
out that this is a very good chance to bring the fighting on Earth to an end.


Stage 28V. Waga Ken ni Inochi wo Kakete ("Entrusting My Life to My Fists")

Bergan notes that the Federation army has Big Falcon under observation, and
will presumably try to come and reclaim it.  That said, all of Japan is
basically theirs.  Rihitel wants to check something first - he's heard that
Bergan used a powdered fungus in the previous battle.  When Bergan confirms it,
Rihitel heatedly asks if that sort of unfair tactic is the standard Boazan way
of doing things.  After a moment, Bergan asks if that kind of thinking really
befits a military commander, pointing out that losing in fair and square combat
makes the combat itself meaningless.  Bergan sees in Rihitel's actions the same
weakness that plagued Hainel, the bastard son of a traitor who not only lost a
lot but even cast off his pride as a Boazan noble.  Rihitel has heard that that
was all too free his planet from the grasp of the Balmar forces, but Bergan
mumbles some nonsensical bit about how the Boazan only temporarily allied
themselves with the Balmar, and that they've restored their own rulership over
their planet - in short, Hainel ended up being nothing but a pawn of the Boazan
nobility.  In any case, "winning is everything", and Bergan cautions Rihitel
that if he doesn't cast off his obsession with fair and square fighting, it
will bring him harm sooner or later.  Balbas yells immediately that that sounds
like a threat directed at Rihitel, and Bergan tells him he can interpret it
however he so chooses - and excuses himself to oversee the transfer of the
undersea forces to this new base.  Rihitel ponders Bergan's example, wondering
if he really is a commander in name only.  Aizam reassures him that that isn't
so - after all, he's the one who defeated the mighty Alpha Numbers [like hell
he did!] - now all he's got to do is kill them once and for all.  Aizam is in
fact glad to help Rihitel, and will shortly finish a new mecha warrior to
assist further.  Rihitel orders everyone to sortie and strike the Alpha Numbers
as soon as this new machine is finished.  Aizam, in fact, knows that he has
very little time left to him [some tragic, hidden illness??]...

Kentarou has managed to cure your Low Morale and Inability to Use Magic *ahem*
your dreadful fungal affliction with serum made from his Boazanian blood, but
there's still the problem of that hyper-elastic alloy.  Apparently that's
going to be harder to defeat than you'd like, since "that" damage still
lingers.  Meanwhile, Sakon tells Kazuya that the _way_ to defeat the alloy has
been found: something quite simple, in fact.  Since it's still an _alloy_, all
you have to do is disrupt the cohesion between its constituent parts.  Kosaku
knows what this means: alternating exposure to extreme cold and extreme heat is
the simplest and most effective way.  This is simple enough that even Hyouma
has grasped it - or maybe not, given the simplicity of his "hot bath after a
cold swim" analogy.  Unfortunately, it's likely to take more than _just_ that
to prevail, meaning you can't count on the Twins alone.  Because of the
self-healing power of the alloy, it would take Enryuu and Hyouryuu something
like ten turns of continuous attacking to destroy the thing at their current
strength.  Fortunately, you can hasten the process by attacking while the
temperature is shifting - and only Deimos can achieve this by upping its
Deimolite output to 200%  This will allow Kazuya's fists to pummel this shit
out of the thing.  The Deimolite itself actually has the potential to do this,
but it will require some other ultraparticle to actually attain that potential.
 That particle's existence has been theorized, but how to manufacture it is
still being researched.  Meaning, you've got jack shit right now.  And wouldn't
you know it, here come the bad guys!  Well, one of them, which Kentarou
recognizes from his time on Boazan.  He thinks he knows who's aboard it, but it
deposits a capsule and takes off again.

Your people confirm that the capsule is safe and look inside, finding flowers
and a ring.  The flowers are the same kind that Kazuya gave to Erika - and
only he and Erika know about it.  Which means that Erika is alive and
responsible for the capsule getting delivered.  The ring, meanwhile, has a
special kind of microfilm in it, and Sakon is thunderstruck to discover that it
contains the method for generating the ultraparticles you need!  Sakon figures
that whoever came up with the means of generating these so-called Izalon
Particles must be a frighteningly powerful intellect.  Sakon and the other
scientists hasten to upgrade Deimos, and Fang Lee suggests starting training
right away on the new deathblow.  Tetsuya will help out, saying that it's gonna
be pretty rough given the short time available.  That suits Kazuya great, who
doesn't care how Erika got the flowers - he's overjoyed to know that she's
still alive.

Your people manage to interrupt another of Rihitel's excessive patriotic
speeches with their approach to the base.  It's Deimos, who Rihitel looks
forward to slaughtering gloriously.  Aizam doubts your people would show up
without some kind of plan, and Rihitel orders the Zonnekaizer into battle.
Kazuya should be able to handle this, and should he fail mankind may be toast.

  You've got to take down the bad guy, and obviously the Hissatsu
  Reppuu-ken-zuki Custom is the only way to do it.  This should be easily
  doable by the first half of turn three.  The bad guys will of course be
  astonished at this, and Aizam wonders in shock if "that" is why Deimos is
  so powerful.  Aizam then sorties himself, telling a startled Rihitel that
  it's only natural, farcical in fact that the Zonnekaizer was defeated.  He
  recognizes Deimos's powerup as the work of Izalon Particles, which in fact
  Aizam was in fact researching.  He warns Rihitel that their opponent is no
  longer some vulgar Earth robot, but a mighty foe enhanced with his own
  knowledge.  Aizam then tells Rihitel that the flames of his life are about
  to expire, and that the fight can no longer be stopped.  Rihitel wants to
  know why Aizam didn't tell him - Aizam says that telling him would have
  accomplished nothing.  His ailment was caused by his own mistake, an
  accident during his Izalon research.  Aizam, however, is content with his
  life, though he's sad that he won't be able to cheer on Rihitel's victory.

  Meanwhile, your dudes show up, and Kazuya tells you to be careful around the
  new adversary.  Kazuya has in fact heard Aizam's conversation, and Aizam
  has heard rumors about Kazuya.  After all, half of his reason for coming to
  Earth was to take him down.  He isn't planning on dying without making good
  on that, and tells Kazuya to fight him.  Kazuya will meet Aizam's resolve
  with his fists, and Aizam is glad to see that Kazuya has the guts to accept
  his challenge.  Rihitel then pops out, saying he'll keep anyone else from
  interfering.  Raiza begs him to wait until the reinforcements arrive from
  the undersea base, but he yells at her not to butt in on his friendship.
  Balsam is smart enough to sortie too and help Rihitel out.  The enemy seem
  to have more of the Zonnekaizers, but Shishiou says that only Aizam's
  mech seems to be outfitted with it.  Go kick ass.

  Aizam tells Kazuya that he's got an anti-Izalon cannon: it is in a word the
  Deimos's greatest rival in the world.  Not that Kazuya will lose on account
  of it.

  Balbas is worth a Magnetic Coating.  Raiza is worth a Solar Panel.

  Have Hyouma fight Rihitel and Rihitel will blame this war on your people,
  who attacked peace-loving Barm first.  Hyouma is getting sick of telling him
  that this is a plot by some third party - Rihitel is just a puppet to those
  people for spreading this war further.  Hyouma has a promise to keep to a
  certain someone, to keep others from fighting without understanding the
  reason why.  Have Ken'ichi fight him, and Rihitel will demand to know what
  it felt like fighting his own brother.  Ken'ichi is surprised that Rihitel
  has heard about that, and tells Rihitel that in the flames of that battle
  he learned how foolish both sides were, and gained a hatred for the things
  that caused their fight in the first place.  AND, he and his brother both
  wished that one day their planets would both know peace.  Ken'ichi demands to
  know if Rihitel can comprehend that, and all Rihitel can seemingly comprehend
  is the fight between his people and the filthy humans.  Ken'ichi reminds him
  that Kazuya and Erika certainly didn't have problems joining hands, and tells
  him if he can't comprehend that then your people are going to take him down.
  Have Kazuya attack him and he'll ask Rihitel where Erika is.  Rihitel tells
  him that she was kicked out of the undersea castle as a traitor, and Kazuya
  vows to take out Rihitel since this is your people's notion of how to reach
  peace.

  When you kill enough of the bad guys, the Four Lords decide that Rihitel's
  usefulness is at an end.  They tell him that he'll only remain commander if
  he can win this fight, if not, he's toast.

  You've got to shoot down at least three of the Grotector mechs, which flee
  at 10k HP...

  Aizam is worth a Hybrid Armor.  Aizam can't believe that he's lost to Deimos,
  and then realizes that it was not so much him as much as his science that
  lost.  He asks Rihitel's forgiveness for not being any use, telling him that
  he was the only friend he ever had.  As he dies, he tells Rihitel to beware
  of Bergan and the Four Lords.  Rihitel tells him to rest in peace, and vows
  to carry out Aizam's wishes.

  Bergan is worth a Booster.  He's satisfied that he's overseen Rihitel and the
  crew losing power...

Well, you took down Rihitel.  Banjou then gets the news that the Federation
army has retaken Big Falcon.  Guess Miwa's men managed it after your people
took out the bulk of the bad guys.  Amuro figures that about half of the
aliens sent to earth are now taken out - but will the Earth begin to settle
down?

Your people are all complimenting Kazuya on his brilliant display of punching
the shit out of the the opposition.  Kentarou now suspects the identity of the
one who dropped off the capsule: "Dange", a Boazan general and a former
comrade of his.  Which means that he, like Kentarou, was Boazan nobility, but
cut off the horn on his head which signifies it.  He in fact fought alongside
Kentarou to overthrow the aristocracy (this strikes a chord with Kincaidu), and
the Gundam Wing boys are quite impressed with the sort of resolve that could
make someone cut off their own horn.  Kincaidu puts the pieces together, and
figures that Dange, who is supposed to be a fugitive from Boazan, must be
starting some operation while gathering like-minded people.  And hell, maybe
that group were even the ones who rescued Erika... or perhaps that group is
actually trying for a peaceful solution, one that cuts across the cultural
differences of the various planets involved.  Your people hope that this rosy
interpretation is what's really going on, and Kazuya thinks to Erika that both
of them have a long road ahead of them on the way to peace.

The Far East Base's command and control system will take a while to straighten
out, but there's barely any damage outside the base itself.  Apparently Miwa
is in an absolute rage, but Synapse tells everyone to leave him be - it's not
that you all are fighting to attract his praise.  Amuro asks Simone about the
Neo-Jion units that landed - the Preventers are still in pursuit, but no word
has come back yet.  Amuro clearly doesn't like the sound of that, but Synapse
tells him that there's nothing your people can do now.  Your people are headed
to the G Island City to participate in the anti-Orphan planning...

Rihitel is facing the music, begging Olban for just one more chance.  Olban
furiously tells Rihitel that he's betrayed his expectations, and Rihitel
implores him to let him go to Earth once more, even if he has to go alone,
which would include trying to take revenge for his friend Aizam.  Olban won't
have it, and orders Rihitel to get confined to quarters here on Little Barm.
Rihitel is, in a word, *aggravated*, and Olban orders Geroyier to drag Rihitel
from his sight.  Rihitel won't forget this outrage, or Geroyier's part in it,
and Olban thinks to himself that Rihitel is dangerous.  Should it come out that
_he_ and the Zaylans were behind the assassination of Rion, Rihitel could cause
all kinds of trouble.  Just then Darius calls in, having heard that the Barm
forces got their asses kicked back home.  Darius uses the situation to give his
Four Lords command of the front lines, which Olban accedes too.  Darius then
orders Little Barm to head to the Earth Sphere, which Olban ineffectually
protests will put the Barm citizens in danger.  With little choice, he finally
accedes to that too, as Darius offers his assurances that his Four Lords will
surely prevail.  Not surprisingly, Darius is planning inwardly to be the sole
recipient of the Earth...


Stage 28N. Kaiteijou!  Daikougeki Kaishi ("Undersea Castle!  Commence the
  Great Attack")

Commotion ensues at the undersea base when Aizam shows up, obviously fatally
wounded.  He is in fact at the point of death, but he's glad he's met Rihitel
before he passes on.  Rihitel demands to know who hurt him, and Aizam tries to
tell him who the _real_ enemy of Barm is, but expires first.  The Four Lords
are on the scene, and Rihitel furiously demands to know if it was them who
shot Aizam (he doesn't care who they are).  They ask him what he'd do if it
was them, and he says that he'd never forgive them, even if they are from some
allied planet.  Dangel tells him to calm himself, since all they've done is
dispose of a traitor.  When asked how they can dare to call him a traitor,
Kilar tells Rihitel it's only natural, since Aizam had plotted to kill Olban.
That plan of course failed, and Aizam fled Little Barm here, with the Four
Lords in hot pursuit.  Rihitel has just enough brain cells to realize that
something is wrong with this explanation, but the Four Lords tell him that it
doesn't matter if he doesn't believe them: either way, he's to be hauled back
to Little Barm to face the music from Olban and Darius for not getting anything
done around here.  The Four Lords have been given command, and are quite glad
to see Rihitel out of a job.  Bergan is glad that Darius is finally taking some
action, and of course Rihitel isn't going to just accept this without a certain
amount of ranting and raving.  He tells them shortly that he's heading out for
his final battle as commander of the Earth invasion - he won't hand over the
leadership until then.  The Four Lords accept this, allowing Rihitel his pride
as a warrior for one last battle.  Rihitel orders his people to surface the
undersea base, thinking that while he has no way to confirm what Aizam was
trying to tell him, he _will_ see the Barm victory that Aizam wished for.

Mitchi has a new part for Jeeg, the evidently odd-looking (and oddly named)
Parnsaroid.  Hiroshi plans to use it to help pulverize whoever is obstructing
Kazuya's romance with Erika, and shrugs off the difficulty of actually
combining with the thing.  Kouji's sure it'll work out, just like him and the
Jet Scrander, though he recommends that Hiroshi talk to Tetsuya if he really
wants to learn how to do things right.  Tetsuya's aerial combination is a joy
to behold, and Hiroshi is interested enough to go take a look.  Meanwhile the
Izalon Particle generator has been successfully integrated into Deimos, making
it substantially more powerful.  Apparently these are some kind of particle
even cooler than tachyons, and capable of making the Deimolite express its
full potential, or twice its current output.  Sakon knows the method being to
generate the particles is nothing of Earth origin; where did Waizumi get it
from?

Just then word comes in that the enemy base has surfaced.  Federation forces
are skirmishing with it, but are in general receiving an ass-whuping.  Daimoji
orders everyone to finish modifications ASAP and sortie.  Meanwhile, the Four
Lords are complimenting Rihitel on how efficiently he's wrecking the
Earthlings.  This is only natural given that the fortress is in fact a
battleship, but Rihitel says that their true enemy is... He pauses, wonder who
the true enemy _is_ anyway, when your dudes show up.  The Four Lords look
forward to this battle, with the full force of the Undersea Castle on display.
But who will prove stronger, the Earthlings or Barmians?

Your people are impressed by the size of the enemy fortress - you've got to
pinpoint its weak spot or it'll just turn into a war of attrition.  Daimoji
orders everyone to concentrate on the enemy command center, and Pete says that
you should prioritize mechs with long range attacks.  Your people recognize
the mystery third power's ships from Mars.  Time to get seriously serious here
^^

  For a Skill Point, clear the map (by wiping out the fortress) in eight
  turns.  You should be able to do it in seven (or less?) with good play.

  Rihitel has a nasty surprise for you: missiles, which won't let up until
  you take out the bridge.  Unfortunately for him, the Four Lords pull out
  the next round, saying that all they've done is grant him one final chance;
  they're under no obligation to help.  Your people ponder the meaning of them
  pulling out, and Sakon realizes that this may indeed be some kind of internal
  strife.

  More missiles come out on every subsequent turn.

  Balbas is worth a Magnetic Coating.  Raiza is worth a Study Computer.

  Bergan is worth a Dual Sensor.  He inwardly tells Rihitel to die
  spectacularly as he bugs out for safer locales.

  The undersea fortress itself is worth a Solar Panel.  Rihitel gets pissed
  (of course) and comes out to settle this in person.  He tells Kazuya and
  the rest of your people that this land will be the site of the final battle.
  For the fight with Kazuya, Rihitel has a mech that his best friend Aizam
  made [this make a bit more sense on the other path...]

  Send Kazuya to fight Rihitel, and he'll ask where Erika is.  See the other
  path for the full scoop.  Afterwards, have Kazuya take down the Gimelia,
  which he can only hurt with his new attack [see the other path for the reason
  why].

  Rihitel is worth a Hybrid Armor, and when you take him down he says that
  it's not the end.  He plans to take the Taikuu Maryuu with him in death, and
  Pete shouts out that no goddamned zombie is gonna take down his ship.
  Unfortunately, someone gets in the way of the battle - a mysterious person
  in a robot Hyouma recognizes!  It is none other than Hainel, who saves
  Rihitel.  Ken'ichi is sure that Hainel, who knows the meaninglessness of
  fighting, hasn't become your enemy - he must have some reason for bailing
  Hainel out, since he'd never turn against you!  Hayato cautions Ken'ichi
  to keep his cool, and says that you all need to head home and consolidate all
  the information before reaching any conclusions.  Ken'ichi wonders why
  Hainel has reappeared on Earth, brooding over what this could mean...

The word reaches Melby and the others that the undersea fortress and Rihitel
have been defeated - guess the little item Dange sent must have come in handy.
Melby realizes that now a new commander of operations on Earth will come from
either Boazan or Zayla.  Erika is worried about her brother, but Riliina steps
in and tries to allay her fears.  She, for her part, figures she must oppose
her own brother's ideals - bearing up underneath the anxiety within until the
day peace arrives.  Erika smiles and says that she was right to invite Riliina
here.  Melby meanwhile has received word that Rihitel was saved at the last
moment, via a "very reliable source".  He's inwardly impressed at "that man's"
skill, and Erika hopes again for peace so she can see Kazuya again.

Rihitel is very upset at being interrupted in the middle of dying, but Hainel
[we know who the hell it is -_-;;] tells him that, although by dying Rihitel
might have absolved himself of all his burdens, that would have been an error.
He reminds Rihitel that he does not yet know his true enemy - thus, him dying
there would have been unpardonable.  Rihitel remembers Aizam's last words, and
implores Hainel to tell him their meaning - who or what is his real enemy?!
Hainel tells him that he can ascertain that with his own eyes and ears, and as
Rihitel's underlings approach excuses himself.  Rihitel tells him to wait, and
asks why he's acting apart from Bergan despite being a Boazanian.  Hainel
states bluntly that Bergan is the shame of his entire planet, and being of the
same race as him is loathsome in the extreme.  Rihitel doesn't comprehend
this, but Hainel tells him that if fortune smiles they'll meet again one day -
until then, he tells Rihitel to find his path.

The doctor congratulates Kazuya and the others on kicking the aliens out of
every corner of the Earth.  Kazuya says it's all thanks to his new weapon, but
Sakon astutely asks to know how it was invented.  Waizumi is impressed at his
acumen, and Kentarou tells your people that it was apparently dropped off by
his old friend and former Boazan general Dange.  Moreover, some flowers were
left as well - flowers that Erika and Kazuya exchanged (and which no one else
knew about).  This can only mean that Erika is alive and well.  Kentarou
recounts how Dange, a Boazan noble, cut off his own horns and joined the
resistance movement to overthrow the aristocracy.  This adds up to Erika being
with whatever guerilla group or underground peace movement or whatnot that
Dange's currently a member of, some group whose aims transcend the various
world involved in this war.  Kazuya hopes this is true, and can't wait for this
war to be over either so he and Erika can be peacefully together again.

See the other path for Rihitel's audience with Olban, and Olban's audience with
Darius...


Stage 29V. Ikari no Nichirin ("Furious Circle of the Sun")

Garrison has presented Banjou with the final piece of information, and the
picture is grim.  Docougar has made an even bigger mess of things than Banjou
had expected.  Both militarily and economically, they're a major threat -
especially where food production is concerned.  Garrison recommends that Banjou
return to the company for a bit, which is close to G Island City.  Banjou
decides to do so with the time left before the anti-Orphan conference, which
Garrison will pass along to Synapse.

Meanwhile, Captain Anoir has disappeared after the Novus Noa arrived in port.
Rasse strongly suspects the incident with Jonathan is to blame, and Komodo and
the others are out searching for her.  Nanga and the others take Yuu along to
the conference center..

Taiga has just finished presenting the theory explaining how Orphan will drain
everyone's Organic Energy, as well as the way it was calculated.  He reminds
everyone that the calculations are absolutely not pessimistic, and says
bluntly that Orphan will destroy every living thing worthy of the term on the
planet.  Miwa yells out that the obvious course is to blow the thing to
Kingdome Come with nukes or something, but Taiga notes that the Federation
government has decided that Orphan is safe - eliminating that option.  Miwa
wonders who the hell claims the thing is safe when in fact it threatens all
humanity - and that person turns out to be Isami Kyuusaku, the acknowledged
leader of of the Orphan researchers.  Miwa yells out that there's no need to
hear this Reclaimer's story, and orders him arrested at once.  Isami says that
he's been granted special amnesty by the Federation, and doesn't have to take
any such treatment from him.  Taiga confirms that that's the case, and invites
Isami to present his side of the story.

His first two points are that Orphan is not impossible to control, and that
the destruction of mankind is impossible.  Shishiou inquires how Isami views
the threat of Organic Energy depletion, and he responds that this theory would
have been correct as of a year ago.  But Orphan seems to be undergoing subtle
changes, which he claims render Orphan harmless.  Miwa demands proof, and some
newcomer named Kant Kestonar shows up to explain.  He's apparently a
hyper-ultra genius who got his Ph.D. at age ten by publishing a thesis on
Organic Theory.  Kant considers the increasing activity of Orphan as something
connected to vegetable reproduction, which he believes is also influenced by
Organic Energy being that plants are, like animals, alive.  This theory
predicts that all the greenery on Earth is about to burst into life, in time
with Orphan's increasing activity.  In short, Orphan is stimulating life in
Kant's view, which he was very moved by when he first realized it.  He thinks
of Orphan as a means of purifying the Earth that mankind has stained, even
when mankind itself had abandoned that hope.  However... he isn't convinced of
one aspect of Isami's statements.  Orphan's overall power source is something
like the sun - there's no way humans should be able to control it.  Isami's
people once thought likewise, that Orphan's surfacing would utilizes all the
Organic Energy on Earth.  But that theory is controverted by the increase in
plant growth that Kant mentioned.  Kant figures that Orphan is showing pity to
the Earth, and Isami cannot help but concur.  Shishiou checks to make sure
that that's the guarantee of safety that Isami has to offer (it is), and
Daimoji inquires by what means Orphan flies - is it solely due to the Organic
Energy within Orphan?  Isami predicts that it uses some supplementary energy
source to fly through space, and Yuu is more than a little pissed at his father
for leaving something important out of his statements.  Gaybridge tells him to
settle down and listen to Isami's statements to the end, and when asked why
everyone is letting Isami speak tells Yuu that it's because he came through
proper channels as a scientist to come to this meeting.  He tells Yuu to face
the facts, such as the fact that some Reclaimers were among the funders of the
Novus Noa's construction.  In other words, people who want to save themselves
by buying themselves a ticket aboard Orphan - and should those people get
upset, the Novus Noa won't be able to move further.  At worst, the fallout
could even interfere with the Alpha Numbers - and Yuu is _not_ happy to hear
it.

Isami claims that this other energy source is still under investigation, but
claims that that energy is surely for the purpose of inviting mankind to
journey with the Orphan through space.  Daimoji has some idea of what that
energy could be, and a mysterious blond woman is very glad she went to the
trouble of attending this event.  Upon hearing of this energy that will
advance humanity to the next step, plus a ship to carry them, she decides she
needs to set her next plan in motion.

Elsewhere, Irene is being propositioned by some disreputable types, who want
to get aboard the Novus Noa.  She is resisting, saying that the Novus Noa
isn't hers, and that no amount of money will get them aboard.  Sandrake asks to
speak directly to the captain, and Irene says that the captain is currently
absent - and she's the person in charge.  Benmel tries to pay her directly for
the Novus Noa then, which she is growing increasingly resistant to.  Benmel
claims to be an eccentric, wealthy collector, and wants the ship because it's
the first Earth ship to use Organic Energy.  Apparently he is a very _well_
informed collector, and feels a need to own anything there's only one of in the
world.  Sandrake for his part is here to see a certain man, though he's
impressed by Irene's good looks too.  That man of course is Hazan Banjou, and
just then an enemy attack breaks loose.

It's the Grangers, led by Quincy who, once again is glad to see the sun and
would love to show the sight to Yuu.  Isami is wondering why his daughter is
here, since he told her not to do anything during the conference.  Vera
commands your units to go forth and face the enemy.  Yuu and Quincy immediately
begin to quarrel, and Amuro tells everyone that protecting the conference comes
first.

  Shiela is worth a Dual Sensor.

  On round three, Benmel notes that your people have as impressive a
  collection of machines as rumored, and Sandrake notes that Banjou doesn't
  seem to be among you.  Just then Banjou shows up, shoots Sandrake (to Irene's
  astonishment), and demands to know why Sandrake is here.  It looks like
  _they_ have resurrected.  He tells Irene that if Sandrake dies, he'll happily
  admit to having committed a crime, but if he lives... if he lives, inquires
  Sandrake.  Banjou is furious that Sandrake had the nerve to show himself
  before him - or rather, Command Sandrake, of the Meganoids.  Sandrake hastens
  off in some kind of giant mecha, and Irene watches in horror as the people
  grow to giant size.  Banjou mutters that Commander-class Meganoids have
  permission to become Megaborgs like that, and very uncharacteristically
  Banjou flies into a rage, ready to rip the Meganoids a new asshole or
  several.  Banjou then summons Daitarn 3, and Benmel tells him that it's
  time for the Meganoids to take out the grudge against him.  He counters by
  telling them not to expect to walk out of here alive, and explains to your
  people that these are the basest, worst cyborgs ever devised by mankind.
  He tells Gai that the Meganoids are demons, cyborgs who cast away their
  human hearts and granted themselves undying bodies to satiate their lusts.
  Banjou had supposedly defeated these guys once already, but apparently they
  repaired themselves within their sealed base on Mars... or perhaps...
  Benmel tells Banjou that there's no need for him to know, and Sandrake is
  here to eliminate Banjou as an irritant to Kolos.  Banjou notes that the
  despicable ego of the Meganoids hasn't changed at all, and Sandrake counters
  that there's no way Banjou can defeat the "super humans".  Banjou furiously
  tells them never to say that even as a joke: Meganoids are less than robots,
  the worst demons of mankind.  Sandrake then offers all your people a chance
  to become Meganoids themselves, along with limitless power, beauty, freedom
  from worries, etc.  Kusuha knows that granting that sort of thing would
  avail nothing, and can't see a lifestyle after casting off a human heart
  at all wonderful.  Of course, that means that they'll have to kill you all
  along with Banjou here.  Banjou tells the Meganoids to remember the words
  he's graven into the back of their skulls: "For the world, for the people,
  Daitarn 3 shall crush the ambitions of the Meganoids!  Should they not fear
  the Circle of the Sun, come and get him!!!"  Your people are somewhat aghast
  at the depths of Banjou's hatred for the Meganoids, and Tetsuya thinks that
  this may be the real Banjou.

  Quincy, if she's still around, is mentally retarded enough to think that
  continuing to attack your people is a wise idea even under these
  circumstances.  Yuu tries to tell his sister to get her head out of her ass
  and skeedaddle, but she snaps back that no traitor could be any brother of
  hers.

  She is worth an Apogee Motor.  Her machine goes out of control, but Kant
  comes over to check something, telling Yuu not to worry about him.  Yuu
  yells at him that the thing is a Granger, but Kant tells him that this is
  very important and asks him to please shut up.  He asks the Granger to share
  some of its power with a flower he has, and that flower starts glowing with
  Organic Energy.  Quincy is bemused by this, and asks Yuu if he remembers
  giving her a flower way back when they were little kids at their grandma's
  place.  She was very glad about it, but Yuu doesn't remember.  This gets
  Quincy upset again, noting that someone who betrayed his whole family
  couldn't be expected to remember something like that.  Yuu says that she's
  got it wrong - when she's apart from Orphan she can suddenly understand his
  words, but she yells that Yuu will hurt Orphan and flees.  Yuu demands to
  know what his stubborn sister thinks is wrong with this world.

  For a Skill Point, take out Benmel (who flees at 10k HP).

  When you fight Benmel, he sends out a replica from his collection: a Queen
  Mantha!  Judou is furious that Benmel would are bring something like out
  in front of the Puru sisters, and Benmel figures that it's worth it just to
  learn of the Mantha's backstory.  Judou isn't going to let this slide, but
  Banjou tells him to stay out of his fight.  He yells out that the Meganoids
  are always like this - pain caused to others means nothing in the face of
  satisfying their own desires.  Banjou screams that he won't forgive the
  Meganoids, or even tolerate their very existence!!

  The Queen Mantha is worth an Anti-Beam Coating.

  Sandrake is worth a Chobham Armor.  He's astonished that his immortal body
  could be destroyed here, and Banjou tells him that his body, which he
  he received from the Devil, is a fake - and the Circle of the Sun burns away
  all falsehood!  Banjou yells that Sandrake's false life ends now, and isn't
  at all placated when Sandrake goes kablooie.

  If Benmel fights Amuro, he recognizes the White Comet, and plans to add him
  as a decoration to his collection... a posable one!  Amuro of course has no
  plans to go along with this doddering nonsense.  He'll be extremely sad to
  have to defeat Daitarn 3, so a towering symbol of beauty and strength.
  Banjou vows to take out all Meganoids, including his collector's soul.

  Benmel tells Banjou this meeting will cost him dearly... Benmel's impervious
  collector's soul will live forever!

After this, a transmission comes in from Kolos, congratulating Banjou on his
splendid victory.  She notes drily that he doesn't seem too surprised to see
her, and he impatiently tells her that noone if not her could be responsible
for bringing the Meganoids back.  He then wants to know what she wants - to
laugh at him for his failure to wipe them out entirely?  No - she's called to
announce the start of a new plan to Meganoidize humanity, which Banjou also
expected.  She tells Banjou that humans are far too weak for the voyage they
are about to embark on into space.  Meganoidizing is the only hope for mankind
to evolve and survive.  Banjou tells her to cut the bullshit - she and her
people and their swollen egos are nothing like a new mankind - merely demons!
Kolos observes that these three years don't seem to have changed Banjou's mind
any, but the plan has already begun.  Should Banjou not bow before them, he
will be eliminated.  Banjou dares her to come and try it - when she does, he'll
settle the score once and for all.  Kolos bids him au revoir, and Banjou now
knows clearly what he has to do...

Kyuusaku tells his mother-in-law that he won't reconsider.  He didn't reawaken
Orphan to be an enemy of mankind, nor would he let his daughter do such a
thing.  The proof is that he came to this conference today, but Yuu has other
ideas.  Kyuusaku asks if Yuu would like to return to Orphan, since his mother
is worried.  Yuu demands to know who this "mother" person is, and after
Kyuusaku leaves he tells Hime that that guy isn't his father or anything else
either.

The counsel has officially decided to simply monitor Orphan, and your people
probably have no choice but to comply.  Your people have to carefully consider
the report that Isami gave, light on data as it is, and incorporate Kant's
theory in your calculations.  That, and you have to worry about the mysterious
energy that lets Orphan fly.  Taiga says that you may have to revise your views
about Orphan...

Gaybridge notes that Isami has returned to Orphan, and Vera asks why Anoir
left the Novus Noa during the battle.  Shouko says that Anoir seemed to be
deeply worried about something, and hopes she's okay.  Since Anoir's
whereabouts are still unknown, Gaybridge has no choice but to acknowledge Irene
as the interim captain and order her to continue surveillance of Orphan.  Irene
is surprised that he won't wait for Anoir to return; he does feel it's a shame,
but he can't let this operation falter because of one person.  Gaybridge
himself will be leaving the ship to report about Orphan directly to the
Federation government.  He says that the fight is about to shift to the
political arena, and he intends to do what he can to politically protect the
Alpha Numbers' back.  He requests that Shouko accompany him, which she agrees
to.


Stage 29N. Chikyuu Buttakiri Sakusen

See the other path for the news getting broken about the Vital Net plan being
cancelled at the Governor's behest.  Same for the argument about Yuu's
relations with Shouko and Kanan.  Except this time, Kanan steps in and tells
him that his emotional volatility hasn't changed a bit.  She and Higgins have
joined as pilots of the "Brainchilds", twin Brain Powerds who got their name
from being on the small side.  Kanan explains that she too has been accepted
by a Brain, and credits Yuu's words that she'd be freed of her curse if she
parted from Orphan.  Yuu is glad that his leaving had value then...

Meanwhile Anoir has summoned Banjou to meet a certain member of an
environmentalist group interested in Organic Energy.  This person had requested
a meeting with the head of the Hazan Conglomerate, and Banjou hopes this won't
be some weirdo.  It turns out to be something worse: Milane, who says that it's
an honor to meet the man who successfully suppressed the Meganoid uprising.
Banjou asks if he's met her before, since he recognizes both her face and name.
 She inquires if this is how he greets all ladies, and he says that he knows
several people like her by way of apology.  She asks what sort of people these
would be, and he responds that they're demons in human form.  This shocks
Anoir, but just then the enemy attack.  Milane has heard that the Novus Noa is
opposing the Reclaimers, and requests an evacuation there.  Banjou tells a
hesitant Anoir that he'll secure permission himself, which she thanks him for.

Your people marvel at the Brain Child as the Novus Noa makes it to a safe
distance away.  Your people wonder where Banjou is, figuring that he may be
tied up entertaining some woman (as he usually seems to be).  At least the
Goshogun guys claim to be happy with their angelic, no, GODDESS-like female
copilot.  When the enemy show up, it seems that Jonathan is among them,
taunting Yuu about Quincy.

  Something odd happens on round two - Banjou shows up at long last, not
  sounding quite like himself.  Nanga asks Banjou (a four-star General it
  seems!) to keep it together - things would suck if all of you got offed
  before the conference.  Milane thinks that her chance has come with Banjou
  now on the field.

  Shiela is worth a Magnetic Coating.  Jonathan is worth an Apogee Motor.
  Yuu is thinking that it's a typically Jonathanian retreat, but Hime wonders
  if he was watching something... such as the anti-Orphan conference, or...
  Milane thinks that the Alpha Numbers have their guard down now, and decides
  to spring.  Banjou however has other ideas, and tells her not to move.  He
  also tells her not to be surprised that he's there, and that this isn't even
  the beginning of what he's going to do now that someone supposedly dead has
  appeared before him.  She asks why he pretended not to know her when they
  first met, and Banjou says it's obvious that she wouldn't have resurrected
  alone - so, he bided his time.  She says shortly that he never changes,
  and Benmel pops out of nowhere to pick her up.  All that remains now that
  she's gathered information is to kill off Banjou himself.  Benmel for his
  part vows to take Banjou out, and Banjou yells to Garrison to come and give
  him the controls.

  [For the full depths of Banjou's ranting, see the other path]

  This time Benmel brings out the Butargirin, with a very devious plan.  It
  dispatches a bunch of drills and begins boring them into the Earth.  Very
  soon magma will begin to pour forth, and worse - if it continues, the Earth
  itself will be cut in half!  To say that Benmel's reason for doing this makes
  no sense is the understatement of the millennium, and Milane retreats to
  report in to Kolos.  The long and short of it is that you've got five turns
  to prevent the Earth from getting ruined.

  To make matters worse, Edgar pops out the next round, determined to kill off
  the traitor Yuu.  He's going totally bonkers, and massive amounts of Chakra
  light is emitting from his Granger.  He's worth a Biosensor.  Yuu is amazed
  at the phenomenon it just caused, and Camille wonders if this is the fate of
  all those caught by Orphan.

  Take out Benmel for a Skill Point.  Like the other battle, he'll send out a
  Queen Mantha when you fight him the first time (which is worth an Anti-Beam
  Coating).  In addition to the usual "I'll be back" BS, he tells you that
  defeating him isn't enough to defeat his machine.

Said machine is worth a LOT of cash.  Defeating it will cause any remaining
Meganoids to run away.  After the destruction, Kolos contacts Banjou to
congratulate him on his victory.  See the other side for the details, but
Banjou is about to run off to take out the Meganoids on the spot, claiming
this is his greatest and only duty.  He actually disappears, much to Amuro's
surprise.

That the Meganoids came back without you catching even a trace of it while on
Mars sucks.  Shishiou figures they were here for information on Orphan,
possibly to use it at their own spaceship for after they've Meganoidized all
humanity.  In any case, time to beef up security for the conference even more.
No word has come in yet from Banjou...

Cut to the whole Jonathan hostage crisis from the other path, complete with
deranged Freudian problems gone nightmarishly wrong for Anoir and her
badly-in-need-of-a-haircut son.  As Jonathan flees, things fade to
intermission...


Stage 30V. KOROSU wa Korosenai ("Kolos Can't Be Killed")

Garrison brings Banjou his favorite coffee, black.  Banjou has been poring over
some paperwork, which he gives to Garrison - instructions for how to dismantle
the Hazan Conglomerate.  Banjou had planned on doing this after taking out the
Meganoids anyway, but Garrison and the girls found out something after
returning to New The City after their long vacation: something about Banjou's
new lifestyle.  Banjou states flatly that that's trivial now that the Meganoids
have revived, and announces that he plans to leave the Alpha Numbers to
concentrate on hunting down the Meganoids.  When Garrison agrees immediately,
he asks Garrison why he isn't trying to stop him.  Garrison says that he abides
by Banjou's decisions, and advises Banjou to drink his coffee before it gets
cold.

Garrison then breaks the news to your pilots that Banjou's decision is firm.
Your people have been with Banjou for a long time, but have never seen him like
this before.  The Puru sisters are certainly sorry to see this man, who
normally shines as brightly as the sun depart, and Ryouma wonders if you all
have depended on Banjou too much.  Benkei wonders if Banjou, who was primarily
responsible for holding your people together after the Titans' dissolution,
was never really one of your companions after all.  Hayato tells him to cut it
out, but Banjou's assistants hear it anyway.  Beauty isn't offended, and Reika
is sad that now, even they as Banjou's assistants don't seem to be of any use
to him.  As they go to was Daitarn 3, your people muse that they've never seen
Banjou become clouded before...

Meanwhile, Kouji has just received an upgraded Great Booster from his father
in Tetsuya's stead.  Tetsuya's busy drilling Hiroshi, and Jun says the two seem
to be getting along quite well.  Sayaka wants Kouji to hurry up and try to
change Banjou's mind, but Kouji isn't going to try, saying it wouldn't do any
good.  Sayaka huffily drags Jun off to try on their own, and Kouji thinks that
Sayaka really doesn't know Banjou that well...  Hiroshi meanwhile asks Tetsuya
if it's okay to leave Banjou alone - the rest of your people seem to be in a
considerable uproar.  Tetsuya admits that he is concerned, but says that all
the commotion your people can raise won't solve Banjou's problem.  While this
seems cold, Tetsuya says that any real man could recover under their own power
- or so he believes.  Hiroshi says that he sounds like the voice of
experience, and Tetsuya abruptly Atomic Punches him, noting that if Hiroshi
can't handle something like that he surely won't be able to handle docking with
his new parts.  Hiroshi is determined to do it on the first try, but before
Mitchi can launch them the bad guys show up.

It's Milane, who is ignoring the sparring group entirely.  She doesn't have to
wait long for Banjou to show up, saying she's here on orders from Kolos to
take Banjou down.  Hiroshi says he'll help out, but Banjou tells him to stay
out of his fight.  Milane is impressed with this show of resolve, but says that
she's not Banjou's only opponent.  Kolos herself is on the scene, and Banjou
is looking forward to settling the score here and now.  Kolos cautions him to
say goodbye to the world first.  There's a strong magnetic field emanating
from Kolos's ship, and everyone is abruptly sucked away to subspace! This is
bad for Jeeg, who can by no means combine with the Jeeg parts due to all the
EM interference here.  Kolos tells a shocked Banjou that this is a dimensional
rift, as well as his graveyard.  She points out all the scrap floating around
here, and tells Banjou he's about to become part of it.  Hiroshi meanwhile is
determined to merge with the parts anyway, but Mitchi only has one more set -
if this fails there won't be another chance.  Tetsuya tells Hiroshi to wait
for his chance, which he reluctantly agrees too.

  On round 3, Milane tells Banjou to stop resisting unless he wants to see his
  comrades die.  She exhibits Banjou's crew, and tells him she'll unleash the
  Death Spiders if he does anything funny.  Reika tells him not to worry about
  them and gets nearly blasted for her pains, and Kolos tells Banjou that, as
  he can see, she's serious.  He thinks for a moment, then asks what of it -
  does Kolos think that actually taking hostages would slow him down?  He tells
  her that his objective is taking down the Meganoids - nothing more, nothing
  less.  Hiroshi asks if Banjou intends to watch his comrades die, and he
  replies that he can't forgive his father or the Meganoids his father made -
  no matter what sacrifices must be made.  Banjou's female assistants agree,
  hating death far less than the thought of Banjou being forced to do Kolos'
  bidding.  Tobb for his part says that as a man he's made his peace long ago,
  and Banjou says that he's not cool enough to both save his friends and take
  down Kolos.  Plus, he can't let this chance slip by, and he tells his friends
  that he'll make sure to kill them quickly, so they won't suffer.  Milane is
  amazed that Banjou doesn't care about his friends lives, and Banjou yells out
  to Kolos that this isn't a game: if she's going to kill them, she'd better
  do it quickly.  Kolos is taken aback by Banjou's power, and refuses Milane's
  request to kill them as an example.  Instead, Kolos has the machine that
  they're aboard ordered to attack.  Banjou tells her that that won't work on
  him, and yells out his oft-repeated slogan.  Hiroshi can't believe that
  Banjou is serious, though Tetsuya can.  He tells Hiroshi that the Meganoids
  exploit weakness in the human heart - therefore, one must become emotionless
  to beat them.  Hiroshi wonders if the friends' life or death is up to Banjou,
  but Tetsuya points out that it's actually up to _he_ and _Hiroshi_.  They've
  got to get rid of all the enemy support, and bring the Death Spider they're
  aboard to a halt.

  For a Skill Point, you've got to rescue the hostages and take out all other
  enemies before taking down the Butargirin.

  The following round, Hiroshi tells Mitchi to release the new parts.  He tells
  her that instead of waiting for a chance, he's going to make one.  He tells
  her that as dangerous as the combination is, it's even more dangerous as he
  is now.  He asks her to believe him, and vows to Build Up for Tetsuya and
  Banjou's sake.  Of course it works, and it's time for Hiroshi to turn the
  tables.  Milane is astonished that he's pulled off the combination, and
  Banjou tells her that this is how the Meganoids differ from humans: unlike
  Meganoids who only have predetermined abilities, humans have all sorts of
  untapped powers within.  It is the heart, in other words human power, that
  makes that possible.  Hiroshi tells the Megaborgs, who have lost their human
  hearts, not to think they can defeat him.  Milane is... not thrilled.

  On the next turn, the Taikuu Maryuu shows up.  Hiroshi is very glad of the
  help, and Banjou seems almost surprised to see everyone here.  Your people
  explain that it was simple to figure out what dimension the Meganoids made
  and pry open an entrance with the Dividing Driver.  Kolos tells Milane that
  she seems to have underestimated the humans, and Milane assures her that
  she's prepared to fight herself.  She and Banjou trade high faloutan
  challenges, and your people tell Banjou not to try to thank them.  While they
  have no right to stop him, they _do_ have the right to help him, their
  long time confident and comrade, out in a jam.  Banjou accepts this after a
  moment, and Kouji is glad to see there wasn't anything to worry about.  He's
  even brought the new Great Booster, which Tetsuya is very glad to have.

  When you rescue Banjou's assistants, they're all glad that he's found himself
  again.  Banjou admits that as a hero he wasn't quite as cool as usual this
  time around.

  Milane is worth a Hybrid Armor.  She's impressed with Banjou's power and
  before the battle offers to make him her slave if he just takes a nice bath
  in her hypnosis ray.  He answers "no", drolly saying that he's not interested
  in women who force others to their will.

  When Banjou fights Kolos, she tells him that humans are cruel, unfair beings
  who should only exist under the care of the Meganoids.  Banjou demands to
  know who decided that, and she says that while humanity is nearing a major
  change, the steps of its evolution are far too slow - mankind is trapped in
  an effectively infinite dungeon.  Banjou tells her that if the Meganoids will
  then claim to be some kind of "new" humanity, he won't stand for it - there's
  no way in hell beings who have lost their human hearts could be superior to
  humans themselves!

  Kolos is worth a *HARO*!! (and a shitload of $$).  Banjou figures what can
  happen twice can happen thrice, and doubts we've seen the last of Kolos.
  What he can't figure out is why she didn't kill Reika and the others...

Banjou tells Garrison that he's going to remain in the Alpha Numbers: the
resolve that his assistants showed, and the fact that everyone came to help him
out forced him to realize something anew: he's not the only one fighting, and
it's only thanks to everyone else that he can be himself.  Garrison is glad to
hear this, having delayed word of Banjou's departure in the hopes that Banjou
would find his answer.  Banjou is wryly glad of this, though he has Garrison
continue gently dissolving his company, saying that it's too great a burden for
him to bear.  And, he has Garrison prepare a little party for everyone by way
of his apology combined with the farewell to Earth.  Garrison's already got
everything ready ^_^

Everyone, including the robots, are at the party (though Banjou is the only one
in a tux) and glad to see Banjou back to his old self.  Banjou leaves the toast
up to Synapse, who many suspect is nervous.  Synapse's words are halting, which
he finally explains as him not wanting to ramble like an old man.  Though, he
can't help but adding provisos like "no underage drinking" and "don't drink so
much you can't scramble at need".  After the toast, he encourages everyone to
drink up and enjoy the food that Garrison and OVA have prepared by hand.
During the banter, Tobia savors some bread that Kincaidu informs him was baked
not by Garrison but by Vera, who until high school had worked at the family
bakery.  He somewhat grimly explains that Vera bakes whenever she needs to blow
off stress, but then smiles and says that this bread surely bears the taste of
life in the old days.  Tobia opines that this is thanks to Kincaidu, who won't
NOT take some credit. ^_^  Hime meanwhile is scolding everyone (including Yuu)
to balance what kind of food they eat.  The "adults" of Goshogun and the mobile
suit squad watch this with some envy, and Remy has to turn down an proposition
from Bait, saying it's her policy not to get involved with soldiers or spies.
She prefers someone like an artist she wouldn't have to fight along side of,
and Bait perceives that there's some history there.  She agrees to at least
join the boys for a drink or several, which Shingo is quite happy with.  Rasse
likewise offers to help Kanan adjust to these unfamiliar surroundings.  We get
to see again that Kou dislikes carrots, while Gai likes himself a good beef
bowl.  Mikoto points out that Gai also has a food he hates: konnyaku!  Mamoru
seems to be just happy to be going to space for the first time, which the other
kiddies can get behind.

As the hilarity continues, and Kou summons the burning heart to eat his
carrots, word comes in from the Preventers.  The Neo-Jion units that landed
have stolen a nuclear weapon from Arizona, which had been stationed there as a
last resort against the aliens or subterraneans.  Amuro is not happy to hear
that Char really is pulling out all the stops...

  You get two OVA's Croquettes and a Cecily's Bread [imagine that...]


Stage 30N. Karei Naru

See the other path for Kanan and Rasse's conversation.  Anoir's disappeared,
and Daimoji has no time to wait around for him.  Your people then muse about
Banjou much like on the other path, except that he's gone and not merely
thinking about leaving.

Banjou has actually been at corporate HQ, and has the conversation about
dismantling his company from the other path.  What's different is that Banjou
gets a letter from a certain person from his high school days.

Insert the whole anti-Orphan conference, with a different Meganoid about to do
the reporting.

Kidogaa meets Banjou - it seems there were adversaries back then, and Kidogaa
has practiced all this time just to challenge Banjou once again.  Banjou says
that he's got no time for that, and asks instead about what Meganoid-related
information Kidogaa has - and why he knows about the Meganoids at all.
Kidogaa has been checking up on Banjou, and out of some kind of inferiority
complex has had himself made _into_ a Meganoid!  He's captured Banjou's
assistants and hypnotized them, having them aboard a Death Spider.  Banjou
points out to him that this is a decidedly second rate way to force him to
accept the challenge: the moment he took the hostages was the moment he
inwardly accepted that he couldn't beat Banjou fair and square.  Kidogaa starts
feeling miserable that he hadn't thought of that, but Banjou says that if he's
a Meganoid, the hostages matter not.  He summons Daitarn 3, and Kidogaa plans
to beat him and prove that he's first rate after all.  Meanwhile your other
people detect the Megaborgs (apparently come to disrupt the conference), and
sortie everyone.  Or try to anyway, until Banjou tells them that this is his
fight, and outside interference is not welcome.

  The trash talking begins in earnest when they fight, and Banjou who had
  considered this guy a friend of sorts says that he certainly won't
  acknowledge any friend of his being a Meganoid.

When Banjou wins, Kidogaa is actually going to be a good loser and tell Banjou
about the Meganoids' new plans, as well as free the hostages.  But Sandrake
isn't having that, nor is Milane, OR Kolos.

  This battle is basically like the other path except your people initially
  aren't here.  Kidogaa pleads for the chance to finish the duel against
  Banjou by himself, not letting anyone else interfere.  Sandrake figures that
  makes him even a second-rate Commander, but Kolos lets him do as he pleases.
  Banjou doesn't care about the duel, only about taking Kolos down.

  Finish the map within eight turns for a Skill Point.

  Your dudes show up on round 3.  See the dialog from the other side, but this
  time Kidogaa vows to rescue the hostages, who he took in the first place.
  Banjou tells him that this is the difference between second and first rate:
  the first rate person does what they have to.  Kidogaa promises to make good
  on this.

  To win, Banjou has to take down the Death Spider.

Kidogaa manages to pop up and rescue the hostages when you have Banjou get in
combat with the Death Spider.  Milane is furious at this and blows Kidogaa
away, preparing to take on Banjou next.

  From here on out it's basically identical to the battle on the other branch.

The banquet is too, with the exception that Kidogaa survived the explosion and
is now hanging out with your people.  It's the mark of an extra first class
person that he not only survived but hooked up with your people.  He's lost
his Meganoid powers, but he figures that puts him back on equal footing with
Banjou.  One day, he hopes to resume their duel, and Banjou promises that your
people will make sure that that day comes.

  Like the other branch, you get two OVA's Croquettes and a Cecily's Bread.


Stage 31. Ware NI Teki NASHI ("No Enemies Have I")

Some mysterious figure intones that the Earth is going to rot... and to
protect his children, a trusty sword is necessary.  Britto, hypnotized as
usual, mumbles that that sword is the Choukijin.  The figure says that the time
has come for him to choose what to protect.  Britto seems to finally resist
this process, but is eventually compelled to chose to protect his mother
planet.  The figure tells him never to forget that his power exists to protect
that planet.  The figure once again calls upon all the swords to gather unto
it...

On Von Braun, a certain Viletta has returned from goodness knows where for the
first time since the Aegis Project.  Apparently with certain restrictions, she
can no move "freely" again.  When Kirk asks, she tells him that the other four
members [of the SRX project] are doing fine, though they're busy with some
other mission.  She waxes surprised to hear Kirk ask something like that, and
Kirk says that, after all, those four _are_ necessary for their plans.  He
asks what brought Viletta all the way to the moon, and she says she wants to
borrow a Personal Trooper, to replace her dismantled R-GUN.  She wants it to
protect Kusuha, the Psychodriver pilot of the Choukijin, saying that her debt
to "those two" has yet to be repaid.  Kirk agrees, saying that a machine has
just returned to base that he can set up for her.  That machine would be the
Hukebein Mk.III, which Retzer Feinshmecker has been using.  He offers Viletta
what he calls his belated thanks for her helping him out in the past.  It
seems she was an old subordinate of hers, and is using a false name: both of
them have pasts they'd rather not have brought up it seems.  That's fine by
Viletta, who's more than a little impressed that he managed to find the Mk.III.
 This is a twin of a machine which failed operational testing in the previous
war, AND lacks AM parts - but depending on how it's maintained, it should be
viable.  Viletta vows to protect this important machine, especially in
deference to its former operator.

Meanwhile, Yasunishi has found out something about the animal-form robots your
people have been seen: a giant bird of prey, a pellaginous fish, and a giant
carnivorous beast.  That is, an eagle, a shark, and a panther.  Shishiou makes
an offhanded comment about those being three likely creatures to chase the
sun, and Robert explains that these three machines are acting independently of
any known organization.  They probably are self-organizing AIs, if not actual
intelligences unto themselves.  Much like the Choukijin, which makes sense
since they appeared along with the black Ko-Ou-Ki.  The leading theory is that
these three new machines were made by whatever ancient civilization created
the Choukijin as warriors.  This would mean that their purpose is presumably
be protecting the Earth, which explains why they helped your people out.
However, there's one problem: if they are in fact such guardians, they
shouldn't be so reclusive, especially given all the things threatening the
Earth right now.  Shishiou figures that they've certainly got their own
schedule to keep, but Robert says that that's the point: the only time they've
ever appeared is around the Alpha Numbers.  There are no other records of their
activity anywhere.  It's as though they're trying to save you, people with
similar objectives - or that there's something among you that draws them.  In
any case, more research is necessary, but for the time being you decide to call
them "Custos" after the Latin word for "guardians".

Meanwhile, your pilots (including the robots) are all busy with a _lot_ of
cargo hauling.  Lucky for them the kiddies bring in some food for them to
replenish their strength (though they're getting sick of nonstop curry rice).
Unfortunately, Irui collapses in the process of giving Tetsuya his orange
juice.  A very anxious Kusuha is told later that there's nothing physically
wrong with her - apparently she just up and fell asleep.  Some of the other
women promise to look after Irui, and tell her that the scientists are calling
Kusuha.

They inform her of the mysterious Custos, whose leader is probably the lord
that Britto spoke of.  The troubling things are why the Ryuu-Ou-Ki refused
this lord's directives, and why the Ko-Ou-Ki turned black.  Eri actually has
the notion that this Custos is not the rightful lord of the Choukijin... It's
common enough among humans for people with similar ideals to still be opposed.
She suspects that somehow the Ryuu-Jin-Ki discovered the Custos' true nature
and objectives - and for all anybody knows, it may be some enemy from the
Choukijin's past.  This would of course mean that Custos has obtained Britto's
cooperation by force - and controlling a Psychodriver would require someone
with immense mental powers or their equivalent.  Of course, this means Kusuha
is at risk for being controlled too.  If Custos' objective was the destruction
of the Earth and eradication of humanity, Ko-Ou-Ki and Britto should have
resisted... but if Custos' ultimate goal was the same and the methods were
merely different, it may have been able to gain a foothold.  This would
certainly explain why Ryuu-Ou-Ki came to Kusuha to help her, and if it were
not for the GGG and Mazinger both Kusuha and the Ryuu-Ou-Ki might well have
been hauled off to Custos long since.  Eri cautions Kusuha that while Custos is
not currently your enemy, Kusuha shouldn't count on that forever.  The good
news is that it should be possible to break whatever power is controlling
Britto - which is up to Kusuha and Ryuu-Ou-Ki.

Wouldn't you know Britto shows up with 60 seconds left before the Taikuu
Maryuu launches.  Kusuha sorties to hold Britto off, telling everyone not to
try to help her.  After all, it's her that Britto is after.  Your people of
course don't want to abandon her to this fight alone, but she stalls for time,
vowing to follow your people up into space later.  Tetsuya points out to Kouji
that if you abort the launch here your plans to fight Neo-Jion etc. will be
late - your people mustn't waste Kusuha's resolve.  Plus, Tetsuya believes that
Kusuha, who fought her way through the Balmar war, will also be alright through
this mess.  Kouji makes Kusuha promise to follow your people into space as the
countdown reaches zero.

Britto tells Kusuha that this is her last warning - if she doesn't go to his
master, he'll destroy Ryuu-Ou-Ki.  Kusuha tells him no, having decided to get
him and the Ko-Ou-Ki back.  He asks her if she intends to defy his lord, and
she says she does.  He calls her foolish, but she asks him why he's become the
way he is, and why the Ko-Ou-Ki turned black.  He himself should realize that
he's not the real him, and the black Ko-Ou-Ki isn't the real mech either.
Britto tries to force her not to doubt, but she yells back that Britto is the
one being controlled.  Having grasped her thoughts, he announces his decision
to destroy the Ryuu-Ou-Ki, and tries to psychically suppress Kusuha, but the
Ryuu-Ou-Ki itself seems to tell her not to give up.  Looks like the two will
have to fight, but Eri says there's hope.  Britto must be being controlled by
some kind of device, like the T-Link System.  Wreck that, and he should be
free.  Entouji has the data about how the T-Link was installed, but he's
worried that things may have been altered since the data was taken.  Taiga has
him send the data to Kusuha anyway, and Kusuha realizes she has to take out
the T-Link system.  Britto says he won't let her, and goes over to wreck the
Ryuu-Ou-Ki.  He then tries to force his will on her once again, and although
Kusuha reminds him of his promise to come for her with the Choukijin he blasts
her machine almost to pieces.  The rest of the staff can't do much to save
her, but someone shows up in a black Hukebein who can.  It's both Hukebein
Mk.IIIs, and Viletta encourages Kusuha to hurry up and take out the T-Link
system.

  You have to reduce the Ko-Ou-Ki to less than 3k HP.  Unfortunately, that
  won't entirely rescue Britto, and the Ko-Ou-Ki heals itself.  That means
  he's being controlled by something else.  To make matters worse, the Panther
  Custos shows up.  Whoever is behind it tells Kusuha that he is the one who
  has chosen her and conferred upon her his strong will.  It keeps calling
  for the various swords to gather to it blah blah, but Kusuha isn't having
  it.  She knows there's a good reason the Choukijin didn't want to obey
  whoever Custos is, but Custos keeps calling to her machine to return to him.
  The panther then goes and frags her machine, and somehow paralyzes the
  Hukebeins.  There's lots of exploding and lots of people not being able to
  save Kusuha, but Britto finally gets his act together.  Custos asks why
  Britto is opposing him, the guardian of the Earth, and Britto says that
  he's fighting for the sake of the many human lives on Earth... which is
  thanks to the many people who fought alongside him before, and especially
  Kusuha.  Britto vows never to be Custos' lackey again, and that this time
  he'll show him the true power of the Choukijin.

  He and Kusuha then combine to form the Ryuu-Ko-Ou.  Britto seems to be okay,
  apologizing to Kusuha for all the trouble he's caused.  In any case, you've
  got to now take down the mysterious Custos mech.

  The thing flees at 7k HP, and you've got to kill it to get the Skill Point.

  It's worth a Biosensor and a METRIC FUCKLOAD of money.

The Custos will vanish on the spot, such that your people can't track it.

The Ryuu-Ko-Ou meanwhile has recovered over 95% of the way, and all the parts
that were added to it seem to have been assimilated just fine.  What a victory
for self-healing machines!  Britto meanwhile feels terrible about what he's
done (despite everyone telling him not to sweat it).  All he knows about the
Custos is that it's the thing that captured him, claiming to be the lord of
the Choukijin.  It wants to gather all the strong warriors like the old Lond
Bel to it, and Yasunishi realizes that it hasn't told Britto any more than it
needs to.  The troubling thing is that the Custos aren't actively opposing the
Lond Bel yet.  Maybe all it really wanted _was_ Kusuha's Choukijin, on the
theory that the Custos' ends are the same but the means different than your
people.  What that difference might be is something your people need to
investigate.  Kusuha for her part is determined to oppose the Custos, even
fighting them if need be, since she and Britto have their Choukijin to believe
in.  Viletta then comes in to tell them that the shuttle is ready to take them
to join the Alpha Numbers.  She and Retzer will be along for the ride, and
Kusuha, surprised, asks if Retzer is somehow related to Rai...  He is impressed
at her intuition, and tells her that "for now" he's Retzer.  Further, he tells
Robert that there's no need to tell Rai of his actions for now: Rai has his own
strong companions to help him.

Your people greet Britto and the returned Ryuu-Ko-Ou warmly, *very* warmly in
a teasing way in Remy's case.  When the talk turns to Kusuha taking a "bath"
with Remy, Britto's nosebleed becomes severe enough for him to pass out on the
spot [@_@], which Tetsuya ascribes to Britto's rich powers of imagination.
Kusuha and Kouji take Britto to sick bay, where Irui happily greets them.  As
introductions and congratulations get passed around, Kusuha is about to serve
Irui some "Chougou", a special nutritional drink that she makes.  Britto
seizes the drink from Irui, vowing to drink it all himself.  He explains that
while it _is_ very nutritious, the taste is... a... bit... *thud*.

  You get the Auxiliary GS Ride and an Organic Bit!


Stage 32. Moushuu no Youka ("Beckoning Blossom of Delusion")

Synapse contacts Bright at Londenion, apologizing for being absent for so long
with affairs on Earth.  After thanking him for his efforts, Bright says that
the Neo-Jion and Jupiter Empire haven't been attacking lately, which means
that they're presumably amassing their forces.  Adenauer is busy preparing for
talks with the Neo-Jion, which has gotten considerably complicated by the theft
of the nuclear weapon.  Unfortunately, all Char's people have to do is claim
that they have nothing to do with the old Jion command structure, and your side
will lose all diplomatic leverage.  At worst, the Federation may use Axis
itself as a bargaining chip, which would be good for Char since space at Sweet
Water must be getting rather tight by now.  Of course, actually giving the
Neo-Jion Axis could just embolden them further - and preventing that is what
Bright sees as the Lond Bel's duty.  Further planning will wait until the Alpha
Numbers arrive.

Chain is looking forward to seeing Amuro again, worried about Amuro's thoughts
about Char.  She says that during his time at Anaheim Amuro was prone to
moaning in his sleep, and doesn't want to do anything that will force Amuro's
hand unnecessarily.  Thus, she'll postpone her announcement about the nu
Gundam for a while.  Unfortunately, a fleet of ships without IFF signals
starts approaching from 2 o'clock - and they appear to be Neo-Jion in origin.
Bright realizes that they intend to strike first, and orders everyone to level
one battlestations.

Gyunei notes that without their main forces, even the Lond Bel aren't much to
write home about.  Quess agrees as Bright tries to force the bad guys away
from Londenion.  Quess is showing her usual penchant for hurrying ahead, which
Gyunei is anything but happy about since she's working for him again.  She
says huffily that she didn't return to him, she came back to Char.  Gyunei
wonders who the hell Quess thinks she is, but is willing to let it pass in the
interest of his mission, which is to take down the Lond Bel and to quiet any
anti-Jion colonies.  Taking out the Ral Kairam is his idea of setting an
example.

  The cavalry show up on turn 2.  Quess is surprised to see Amuro, and Gyunei
  tells her that the Jovians are coming in two or three turns... if they're not
  stopped, they'll kill off everyone in the colony.

  You can send Amuro to Persuade Quess.  He asks her why she's with the Neo-
  Jion; does she have any clue what Char is trying to do?  Amuro tells her that
  he won't let her get away with being a selfish little kid, but Quess yells
  back not to yell at her like that.  Char never talks to her that way - *he*
  understands her.

  Quess is worth a Psychoframe.  Amuro will lament how she's succumbed to
  Char's magnetism.

  Gyunei is worth an Apogee Motor.  He orders his troops to flee as soon as
  the Jovians appear.

  They will appear when there are fewer than four Neo-Jion squads left.  Giri
  notes that the Neo-Jion's Fortified Humans suck pretty hard if they can't
  even scratch the Ral Kairam.  He doesn't care that the Neo-Jion flee, saying
  that battling isn't about romance or ideals, only about results.  Burns
  doesn't seem to like this operation either for that, but he says that as a
  Jovian soldier he'll follow his commander's orders.  Giri figures it's time
  to introduce two special guests: Zabiine, and his maniacal laughter.  He's
  heard of her deeds on Earth, which befit her place as the summit of true
  nobility.  However, he tells her that all she needs do is confer her
  influence from on high, and let him do the dirty work.  In fact, he's
  brought the Raflesia with its Bugs, to try to kill off everyone in the
  colony.  Guess this is what happens when the Jovians hook up with the
  Crossbone Vanguard.  Bright orders the Ral Kairam to shield the colony, and
  asks Vera to take out anything that tries to get near him.  Vera,
  unfortunately, is a bit shocked at seeing the incarnate form of Iron Mask's
  twisted designs blooming once again in space.  Kincaidu tells her not to
  be deluded by a ghost from the past, and demands to know why Zabiine is
  going along with this when he opposed Iron Masks's methods.  Zabiine says
  that he hasn't changed: all this is for Vera's sake.  He figures culling the
  overpopulous human herd is the duty of the nobility.  As your people start
  fixing to break every tooth in this maniac's grin, Giri orders his people
  to support the Bugs.  Bright lays out the final defense line, and Vera vows
  to pull herself together and cut herself free from the ghost of Iron Mask.

  For a Skill Point, take out the Zamus Gal, which flees at 10k HP.

  When you kill a certain number of Bugs, more will appear.  You need to
  concentrate your firepower on the Raflesia.

  Zabiine is worth a High-Performance Targeting System.  He vows that he'll
  come for Vera sooner or later, and leaves his duel with Kincaidu until later.
  Kincaidu for his part will be damned before he lets Zabiine mix Vera up in
  his insanity.

  The Raflesia is worth a Hybrid Armor.  Duo is glad to see the thing gone,
  though Quatre realizes that if the Raflesia project is still going, this
  probably won't be the last one.

  Giri is worth a Multisensor.

  If you want to recruit Burns, get Tobia into combat with him but don't kill
  him off.

Quess made it to Londenion, but it seems she doesn't have much of a way of
getting back.  She's looking for a transport or something when Amuro runs into
her.  He tells her that he's been looking for her, and asks her to come back
with him to Adenauer - her father.  She pouts and won't go back to him.  Amuro
points out to her that she won't be permitted to go back to the Neo-Jion
either.  She tells him that he, a mere pilot, has no right to say that to her.
He asks what she's saying, and she tells him what Char told her, that Amuro is
an unfair man who has power but doesn't use it.  She tells him to leave behind
all the idiots on Earth if that frustrates him, and if not he should just shut
up and watch what Char does.  Amuro muses over Quess finding the place she
belongs at Char's side, and doesn't seem terribly pleased to hear Char's
words, coming from her mouth.

Adenauer thanks Synapse for his work on Earth and in saving Londenion.  This
should prove a big bargaining chip in the upcoming negotiations with the
Neo-Jion.  Bright angrily asks if Adenauer intends to keep ignoring the Neo-
Jion, which provokes a rebuke from him.  He says that while the Federation
doesn't intend to leave the Neo-Jion be, a lofty governmental decision has
been handed down that the time isn't right to lift a finger against them.
Bright says that that's precisely what he's talking about, and Vera says that
this battle should have proven how strong the link between Neo-Jion and the
Jovians is.  Will the Federation army remain still despite this?  Adenauer is
hardly moved by this, feeling secure in the "ace" the Federation holds against
the Neo-Jion.  Synapse asks if that ace is Axis, which Adenauer surprised,
denies outright by saying that the Federation has no intentions of letting them
have it.  Synapse counters by observing that the Federation surely has no plans
of letting their opponents move to the Earth either.  Adenauer realizes he
can't fool your people, and lets you in on the Top Secret information - the
Federation _will_ give them Axis on the condition that they disarm and
surrender all their weapons.  Axis will then become their new homeland.
Bright confirms his suspicion that it was the Neo-Jion who brought up this
idea, and tells Adenauer that he doesn't know what kind of man Char is really
like.  Adenauer forestalls Bright's argument by telling him that steps have
already been taken to ensure that Char can't threaten the Earth from his new
home.  In other words, your side has a power capable of opposing Char working
for it.  This makes your commanders nervous to say the very least, but Adenauer
is done talking and tells you all to concentrate on those pesky aliens.

Kincaidu is impressed to see the new mass-production F91, whose pilot Harrison
is in turn surprised to see Kincaidu among the space pirates.  Looks like the
start of a nice, manly friendship.  Meanwhile Chain presents Amuro with the
freshly tuned up nu-Gundam.  The Orchis is running a bit late and will be sent
afterwards  Chain says that thanks to Nina's hard work the Orchis will be
ready soon, and Amuro says that the same goes for Chain and the nu.  How well
he does with it is up to his own skill, and he confirms for Chain that he plans
to settle the score with Char once and for all this time.  Char should be the
one who leaked the Psychoframe information to Anaheim: he's trying to cause
you something more than Pressure, and Amuro can't give in to that.

  If the average level of your Gundam pilots is 34 at the end of the battle,
  they'll find a new surprise: the Wing Gundam!  Or... something like it.  This
  is the exact machine that Hiiro used in Operation Meteor.  He's, in his own
  way, glad to see this machine again.

  You get 2 Propellant Tanks, 2 Cartridges, and 2 Repair Kits.


Stage 33. Shounen no Mukau Mirai ("The Future the Boy Faces")

Vera learns that Chelindon is coming your way, bearing the Orchis and some
other new Gundam.  Vera explains to a confused Tobia that Chelindon Rona is her
cousin, from one of the houses that those trying to resurrect the nobility
after the last war tried to turn to their ends.  This means that Chelindon,
like Vera herself, was one of the Crossbone Vanguard's "princess" figures.
Your folks have to explain to Tobia what an "aristocracy" is: a small group of
"gifted" people leading the mundane masses towards a better society.  Umon
explains that the "gifted" aristocrats aren't so much chosen as self-declared,
and when Tobia recalls that aristocrats are of some kind of noble blood
spanning generations, Umon points out that those bloodlines had to start
_somewhere_.  He figures that the aristocracy movement is a response to the
absolute democracy of the Federation outliving its welcome - far easier to have
a system where the "noble" people are noble and where everyone simply does what
the nobles tell them to.  Tobia realizes that there's no guarantee that people
who _claim_ to be noble actually are, and thinks something is wrong with
founding a society on that, but Vera cautions him that all the crew aboard
Chelindon's ship believe in that fervently.  Tobia could get himself killed if
he carelessly let such thoughts slip.  In any case, Kincaidu doubts that
Chelindon is here as a mere delivery girl, and Vera agrees to talk to her and
try to find out.  She has the ship stay on alert as a precaution, and Kincaidu
has Tobia help Judou and the others prepare to receive the guests.

Kou is glad to finally have the Orchis back, and it looks like Nina and Mora
are here too.  She figures the Dendrobium will take quite a bit of looking
after, to say nothing of the new Gundam.  Kou's hesitating a bit due to the
whole Gatou incident, and Nina blames herself for not telling Kou sooner.  In
fact, the real reason she's here is Kou, and... Judou bursts in, marveling at
the new Crossbone Gundam, the so-called "X3" whose maintenance got delayed
from the other two.  Tobia's impressed by it, and when he asks Nina says it's
not yet been decided who'll pilot it yet.  Judou, ever perceptive, cuts things
short there and steers Tobia away to give Kou and Nina more time to
themselves.
 Nina tries to return to the previous topic, but Kou is already running through
the X3's features aloud.  Nina notes sadly that some things never change.

Judou and Tobia meanwhile are looking at this big-ass sword that seems to be
one of the X3's weapons.  Just then Chelindon comes up to them, wondering
happily if they might be "genuine Newtypes".  The two of them manage to
introduce themselves, and she looks forward to talking to them again later.
Judou is wondering what that means...

It seems that Chelindon has come here to persuade Vera to order the Alpha
Numbers to stop fighting.  She says that fighting gives rise to nothing, and
says that if Vera wants to bring a stop to Cracks Dugachi's invasion of the
Earth she should treat with him across the negotiating table.  Vera says that
she understands Chelly's point of view - but things have progressed past that
stage.  Vera sees in her words a knife held behind her back, ready to take by
force, but Chelindon believes that at this rate mankind is doomed.  Even
should your people beat off the Neo-Jion and Jovians, the same sort of thing
will just recur - and the fighting will never end.  This is because humans are
fundamentally flawed - mankind itself must be altered.  And for mankind to
obtain true peace, they must wait for the age of a new mankind, a new age of
Newtypes, when there are enough of them to overwhelm the ranks of old mankind.
She doesn't know how far in the future that will be, and doesn't want the
Earth Sphere, where all humans come from, tainted until that day.  She would
like Vera to choose the path that would result in the least contamination to
the globe.  Vera asks if she's asking her to do so regardless of who the ruler
of Earth would be - does Chelindon want her to just hand the Earth over to the
Jovians?  She would, if that was the way to minimize conflict.  This gets Vera
upset, and she tells Chelindon that she has no time to go along with dream
fairytales like this.  For starters, there's no guarantee that the sort of
humanity the Jovians wish for are the sort that Chelly envisions.  Chelly
figures she has no other choice, and has her men take over the Mother
Vanguard's bridge.  Apparently Tobia and Judou have been captured and kept in
a different room - Chelindon explains that the two of them have immense
potential as Newtypes, though they don't yet realize it themselves.  She's sure
that raising them by her side will result in them awakening to their true
nature.  She has her guards stay and has her ship depart from the area, telling
Vera that she really does want everyone to simply sit down at one table and
negotiate one day...

Your pilots are in an uproar, realizing that the bad guys wanted to capture
Judou and Tobia from the outset.  The Neo-Jion are on the scene, and your
people wonder if this was all their doing.  Cima says that her people don't
pull crap like that - she prefers to thrown down BIG.  In fact, she's glad to
see Kou and his big-ass Dendrobium, and the two get a bit of quality trash
talking in.  Kincaidu figures that Chelindon plans on just watching this fight:
you should be able to just leave that ship alone.  Judou of course isn't all
that crazy about being locked up like this...

  On 1.5, Chelindon asks Vera to make everyone to stop fighting before
  needless bloodshed occurs.  Vera refuses, saying that "peace" and "not
  fighting" are similar but different things.  Chelindon asks why Vera won't
  understand her feelings, and Vera responds that as long as there are people
  who haven't forgotten in their heart how to fight, your people cannot choose
  a peaceful solution.  Chelindon now realizes how hard it is to persuade her
  sister, and goes to entrust the future to the boys instead.

  A turn later, Judou figures that there's only one way out of this mess:
  breaking down the door.  To his surprise, the door opens and Chelindon
  appears to pick them up.  She tells them they don't have to fight anymore,
  just be true Newtypes by her side.  She says that this is both for their
  sakes and for the sake of mankind.  Judou says that they have no time for
  this and prepares to leave, but she says that going isn't possible.  Even
  if the Alpha Numbers win today, they'll eventually lose - this she knows,
  since she's a Newtype (or so she claims).  Judou tells her to knock the
  selfish crap off - his people have fought their way out of all sorts of
  trouble by never giving up.  When he tells her that she's got no right to
  talk to your people like this, she claims that she's simply elucidating the
  Truth.  The defeat she's talking about isn't loss in battle - it's the
  eventual ruin of people who don't try to solve things except by fighting.
  She figures this is inevitable, and believes that her Newtypes powers have
  been given her by God.  A ray of hope, to save mankind who would otherwise
  face destruction.  Judou asks dangerously if she doesn't care who gets hurt
  by his people's inaction, and she says that no, she doesn't in fact care
  from the standpoint of the final outcome.  Judou knows someone with much the
  same philosophy as her - someone who thought they could become the leader of
  all mankind.  Chelindon says that her actions aren't prompted by any sort of
  desire to rule the world, but to Judou's [Newtype] eyes her gaze looks
  exactly the same... in the sense that she'll merrily trample anyone's
  happiness underfoot she pleases to satisfy her own rationale.  Chelindon
  maintains that she's not like that person, and turns to Tobia.  He asks if
  she's telling him, as one of the chosen, to leave the not-chosen out to
  dry.  Ever since he realized that Vera always fights in such a way to prevent
  unnecessary bloodshed, he figured that he was being foolish... but he still
  feels LIGHT YEARS better than Chelindon!  He orders her out of his way, and
  when she won't move and tells him to listen to her, he shouts that he's a
  human - and that's all he wants to be!  She threatens to shoot if he goes,
  and he dares her to try it, saying that if she does she'll understand that
  the same red blood flows in everyone.  Judou gently (under the circumstances)
  tells Chelindon not to limit other people's future possibilities with her
  own private thinking - this is the time for ALL humanity to start from
  scratch and hopefully get things right.  There's something wrong with the
  notion that all will be well if only a single bunch of Newtypes live through.
  Judou believes in human possibility, and says that his place isn't by
  Chelindon's side.

  Things get complicated, however, when Dugachi pops out with Tetenis in tow.
  He dispatches her in a mobile armor set to full automatic.  She doesn't have
  to do anything except hold the stick.  He figures this will be the sort of
  episode the democracy-loving fools will love, wherein the leader's own
  daughter strikes down his enemies.  AND, should she just happen to die in
  battle, it'll just make the people that more eager to go to war.  Tetenis
  wonders if he's really okay with that, and says that he's definitely changed.
  He tells her that were he a normal person, that might persuade him - but he's
  the distillation of everything Dugachi wanted from the bottom of his heart.
  He figures she's too much like her mother, which doesn't bode well for her.
  Tetenis prays for Tobia to save her, and Tobia can sense which machine she's
  in.  Judou is with the program, and tells Tobia to hurry so they can enlist
  *everyone's* aid in rescuing her.

  For a Skill Point, take everyone else down before rescuing Bernadette.

  Tobia and Judou pop out on the next turn in the X3.  Your people learn of
  Tobia's Newtype intuition about where Bernadette is, and everyone agrees to
  help out.

  Cima is worth a Study Computer.  She notes on the way out that this is the
  last job she ever does for Char.

  When Tobia firsts fights the mobile armor, you find out very quickly that
  one of the Dugachis is aboard it, actually controlling the thing.  Dugachi
  dares Tobia to try to attack when his daughter is in the palm of his hand.
  This pisses Tobia off mightily, and he demands to know how Dugachi can call
  himself human like this.  He scoffs at Tobia, saying that there's nothing
  nice about battle.  Parents and children kill each other all the time - any
  "parental ties" are just crazed ramblings.  This is what humans, and battle,
  really are!  In fact, putting his wife or daughter out as hostages or bait
  is quite normal for him, though in this case it's a bit different since
  Tobia is hesitating to attack for the sake of a girl he's never even bedded
  once.  Bernadette begs him to stop, but of course he doesn't, telling her
  that he's in the middle of a battle now.  Tobia deflects his attempt to
  chop him into little bits, and tells Dugachi that he himself doesn't think
  he's battling at all!!  As Dugachi realizes his Mobile Armor is the less
  powerful, Tobia now knows where the cockpit is.

  One of the bad guys has a Chobham Armor.

  When you take down the mobile armor, Tobia demands to have Bernadette back.
  Dugachi says that she's not his, in which case he vows to, like a good pirate
  should, take her by force!  The armor is worth a Bio Computer and experience
  galore.  The rest of the enemies will withdraw at this point (if there are
  any left), but Kincaidu reminds everyone that you only just defeated part of
  Dugachi...

Everyone is glad for Bernadette and Tobia, but Bernadette is worried about
something: could it be that by sending her to the front lines her father
actually deliberately let her get away?  She realizes that to outsiders the
guy just seems like the sort of cruel bastard who would use his own daughter as
a hostage, but...  Tobia says that he doesn't know what kind of person Dugachi
is in private, but since Bernadette knows the guy better than anyone, he
believes that she's closest to the truth.

Meanwhile, Chelindon has freed Vera, deciding upon watching Tobia and Judou
that she needs to spend more time understanding human possibilities.  So that
she can do so, she grants Vera time by leaving in her ship to watch from afar.
Vera asks if she can interpret that to mean that they're not enemies, and
Chelindon agrees.  In fact, she'll even give you any information that happens
her way.  In return, Vera too will believe in the future that the kids have
chosen.

  You get a Propellant Tank, an Cartridge, a Repair Kit, 2 OVA's Croquettes,
  a Cecily's Bread, and a Megarider.


Stage 34.

Nina compliments Kou on his usual skill at getting the most out of the GP-03.
He in turn thanks Nina for her maintenance.  Both of them seem to have
improved, although Kou still doesn't like carrots...  Elsewhere, Bright and
the other captains are late in breaking up their meeting.  This would be
because your group has been made "independent", and have to tread with extra
care around the upcoming Neo-Jion negotiations.  Camille figures that your
next destination will either be Axis or the Moon, where the factories that fuel
the Jovians and Neo-Jion are.  Kincaidu is asked for his opinion: the moon, or
Axis?

  The moon route will be M, the Axis route will be A.  The Axis route is worth
  on average more money, by the Moon Route contains a Cost Down and a Solar
  Panel.


Stage 34M. Operation Apollo

As Kincaidu worries that terrible things could happen if Anaheim fell into
Neo-Jion hands, report comes in that that's just what's in progress!  It seems
this is a Neo-Jion trap, which Zechs is along for the ride on.  Zechs clearly
has reservations, but informs Yazan that it's neither cowardice or distaste
for fighting his former allies.  Yazan figures he'll find out what Zechs
really wants, and says that if Zechs tries any funny business he'll shoot him
himself, even in the back if need be.  Zechs tells him that cuts both ways,
doubting a former Titan would help the Neo-Jion out of the goodness of his
heart.  Yazan tells him not to get the wrong idea: Yazan doesn't care about the
Titans _or_ Char - all he's doing is taking the best chance to get even with
the Lond Bel for what they did to him in the previous war.  Zechs has heard
that this Operation Apollo was proposed by the former Titans - by Yazan himself
in fact.  It was the sort of plan that Nanai was likely to jump on, and was
tempting enough to get him his own fleet.  Of course, *actually* attacking
Anaheim could be a pain in the ass, so that fleet is merely pretending.  Zechs
is inwardly rather unhappy at being hauled around as part of the Alpha Numbers
hunting party, and figures it as a sign that he hasn't yet earned Nanai's
trust.

Your people are briefed that the Neo-Jion landing forces are held up near
Epsilon City, near Von Braun.  You can assume that they're really after
Anaheim Electronics.  The plan is to send your fast units on ahead to slow the
bad guys down until the main force catches up.  Those pilots are preselected,
and the mission begins.

  What appears on the scene first is not the Alpha Numbers, but Noin.  She
  tells Zechs that she's here to pick him up now that Riliina has decided what
  path to take.  She says that she'll now have him choose his path.  He warns
  her that he won't hold back, and she says that she's ready for that.

  Wipe out all enemies within 9 turns for a Skill Point.  With good play it
  should take more like 7.

  Your advance dudes show up on turn 2.  Yazan thinks he's in luck now that
  the Zeta and Camille have shown up.  Just then Zechs moves out of position,
  explaining to Yazan that he's got an arch-enemy on your team too.  Yazan
  reminds him to shoot down the Gundam if he doesn't want to get shot in the
  back, and Hiiro goes straight over to fight him.  This is the way Kou wants
  it, so he and Camille can concentrate on the other enemies.

  When Hiiro Yui fights Zechs, Zechs confirms that he realizes what Char is
  up to - that's precisely why he's there in fact.  Zechs is worth a Hachimaki.
  When you take him down, he yells out that he can't die here.  He tells you
  all that you don't see Char's real motives, but Noin rushes over to prevent
  him from leaving.  Zechs doesn't hesitate to pull the trigger and blast her
  almost to smithereens.  He tells her that this is the path he's chosen, and
  disappears.  She's damaged badly enough that Kou orders her to leave the
  battlefield.  Hiiro realizes that Zechs must be trying to get close to Char
  so that he himself can learn Char's true motives.

  On the next turn, a bunch of apparently Federation forces show up... but
  not to help you.  These appear to be genuine Federation troops who are Char
  sympathizers.  Bad news.

  One of them has an I-Field Generator.

  Dangel, Ramses, and Yazan are worth a Booster, a Magnetic Coating, and a
  Dual Sensor.

After the mission is over, Erika hears that Noin has safely rejoined the Alpha
Numbers.  Riliina thinks letting her go is the least she can do to thank her
for her protection all this time.  She knows that Noin loves her brother
Zechs, and figures that Noin may be the only person who can ascertain Zechs'
true intentions.  Riliina tells Erika to have faith in your people (especially
since Hiiro's around), and both of them resolve to win more allies in their
fight for peace.

Noin fills your people in on the peace movement.  As Hiiro realizes that that's
how Riliina is fighting her fight, a message comes in from a "Camlan Bloom",
which Amuro recognizes as Mirai's fiancee (and a high ranking government
financier to boot).  Bright tells Camlan that he hasn't seen Mirai lately,
since she stayed on Earth.  Camlan then has some news for you, which he claims
to have agonized over for some time before filling you in.  It seems Adenauer
has had a face to face meeting with Hamarn Kahn, which Camlan attended due to
his position in the government.  It seems that Hamarn has just *bought* Axis -
she is the power that the Federation hopes to counter Char with.  Amuro
realizes that the rift between Hamarn and Char is deeper than your people
thought, and figures that Char's pride would never allow him to join forces
with her.  This "fighting fire with fire" strategy shows what could be called
an *ASTOUNDING* amnesia towards what Hamarn did in the previous war, and even
in the final battle of the previous war Hamarn said that she hasn't given up
on wiping out Earthnoids.  Congratulations: you just got _another_ enemy.
About the only good to come out of this is that your people have just been
bought some time.  Camlan promises to send any new info your way, saying that
he learned the value of people like you who don't give up when the battle for
Side 6 raged right before his eyes.  He doesn't fear what could happen to his
political position as a result.  As you say goodbye, Amuro wonders how Char
will react to Hamarn's move...

Hamarn, replete in upgraded headgear, is thanking Cima for all the information
she's provided about the Neo-Jion operations.  Cima is bright enough to
realize that Hamarn has no intention of kowtowing to Char, and has to hand it
to Hamarn and her charisma for assembling this much warpower without the
backing of the Zabi House.  To be sure, from Cima's viewpoint it seems more
like stubbornness towards an old flame...  In any case, Hamarn has Cima patrol
the area around Axis.  Iria voices opposition to using Cima after she leaves,
but Hamarn tells her not to worry: a little show of good will and Cima will
make a fine pawn.  She orders Iria to hurry up with the defenses: Hamarn knows
full well that she's just returned to the battlefield in the face of two very
formidable enemies.  She's determined to find out precisely who will become the
leaders of future mankind...


Stage 34A. Itsuka Mata Deau Hi no Tame ni ("For the Day We Can Meet Again")

Kincaidu figures it'll be Axis, since the Federation would really be in a jam
of the Neo-Jion somehow took it over first.  Of course, that's how Bright sees
it too - Axis will be the pivot of the upcoming battle.

Up ahead Daimoji detects a battle in progress: a Barm ship is being chased by
some other aliens.  There's some possibility that the ship being pursued is
from the faction that has Erika, and your people head to the battle zone in
any case.  The only way for Kazuya and everyone else to know is to mix it up
with the aliens...

Of course, it is the good guys being pursued - including Melby.  The aliens
spout the usual "death to the traitors" rhetoric and Noin volunteers to hold
the enemy off until the ship can break through.

  Your folks arrive on turn 2, quickly figuring out that it is indeed the good
  guys you just rescued.  Kilar for his part is determined to show your
  people the power of the Four Lords to get even for what you did before, and
  has word sent to Desmond.

  The rest of the cavalry appears a couple rounds later.  Unfortunately, the
  Four Lords take the chance to strike, and Daimoji orders the Taikuu Maryuu
  into Pollution Protect mode.  The Four Lords go into "Death Cross" formation,
  and appear to be generating a micro black hole.  The Four Lords are faintly
  staggered by the fact that a weapon exists which can withstand their Death
  Cross, deciding to pull back and reconsider their strategy.  Mind you, the
  Taikuu Maryuu took something of a pounding, but you can still sortie your
  people.

  For the Skill Point take down all Glowtectors within eight turns.  They
  flee at 8k HP each.  Even if you want all the kills, good play should be
  able to do this by turn seven.

  On the next turn the Four Lords get impatient and send out the Moon Condor
  to finish off the Taikuu Maryuu.  Sanshirou finally decides to be useful and
  gets in the way, almost paying for his life.  The bad guys are a bit peeved
  that he isn't dead, and vow to send both him and the Taikuu Maryuu to hell in
  one more swift stroke.  Sakon tells Sanshirou to hurry back to the ship,
  saying he'll explain later.  It turns out that Gaiking has some new parts,
  making it studlier in every way.  Sakon tells him that this is the best he
  can do - it's now up to Sanshirou.

  Asimov is worth an Anti-Beam Coating.  Kilar is worth a Large Generator.
  Dankel is worth a Biosensor.  Desmond is worth a Hybrid Armor.

  When you take out the fourth Lord, Melby realizes that this is his only
  chance to escape.  Your people are surprised that they're leaving without
  even making contact, and the Lords send forth a Darkness Beast to ram the
  ship.  Your people have no way of reaching it in time, but then a mysterious
  figure appears and chops the bad guy to bits.  Your people recognize the
  Go-dor, meaning it's pilot is Ken'ichi's brother Hainel.  It looks like
  Hainel just saved Erika's shapely little ass, meaning he's on your side...
  which means...!

Noin fills your people in on what Riliina's been up to with this interstellar
peace group.  Hiiro, unlike the rest of your people, isn't the least bit
surprised by this.  Noin explains that there are two reasons they left before
making contact with you - the first being that conflict with Neo-Jion is nigh.
They don't have any specific information, but it's clear that the Neo-Jion are
working on something *big*.  Kazuya knows the other reason - Erika is risking
her entire life fighting for peace.  He says that she can't see you under
those circumstances, and Noin is suitably impressed that Kazuya is living up
to Erika's high estimation of him.  They believe in each other despite being
apart, and that prompts Noin to ascertain Zechs' true thoughts by doing...
Hainel isn't a registered member of this group, but Hiiro says that people
traveling on the same road eventually meet each other.  You'll see him sooner
or later.  This is very cheering to everyone except Amuro, who has a REALLY
bad feeling because his Newtype abilities are strong enough to let him guess at
the upcoming plot!  What a guy. ^_^  He's worried in particular about whatever
the power Adenauer spoke of that can keep the Neo-Jion in check...


Stage 35M. Taikuu Maryuu, Kiki Ippatsu ("Taikuu Maryuu on the Brink of
Disaster!")

Darius is interested in the Four Lords report that the Alpha Numbers are
wasting warpower and resources fighting other Earthlings on the moon.  This is
about the only chance to attack, since Little Barm is about to arrive in the
Earth Sphere from Mars, and the Zayla homeworld is about to be swallowed by
that black hole.  That means the Zaylans have to take over the Earth by then,
though it's clear that simply mounting a frontal assault isn't the way.  The
other Lords remind Kilar that Rihitel, a commander of some skill, was toppled
by your people - but this time, Dankel as a two-level plan for success.

Your people have some time off, though a few folks are stuck minding the
store.
 The prospect of your team running around on all these different combat errands
isn't the most appetizing to Kiry, but Remy reminds him that Allies of Justice
shouldn't complain.  At least Sanshirou has some job satisfaction fending off
the bad guys...  And look, said bad guys just showed up.

Kilar is still simmering of Dankel's vaunted plan, figuring that if he can just
take down your dudes it won't matter.  Bergan tells him to go right ahead - HE
will follow the plan as drawn up.  He's inwardly intrigued that the Four Lords
aren't all paragons of military might.

  For a Skill Point, keep all the bad guys out of Epsilon City.

  Bergan is worth a Solar Panel.  Kilar is worth a Large Generator.

Once you get ride of all the bad guys, another pops up and tries to ambush
Epsilon city.  Daimoji has the Taikuu Maryuu ram the thing, managing to wreck
it.  There are some injured from the damage to the buildings, but no major
casualties.  Daimoji has everyone recalled to the ship to help tending to the
wounded.  Sakon seems a bit worried...

The robots are majorly helpful in putting out fires, rescuing trapped people,
etc.  Sanshirou discovers a rather unexpected person trapped inside on of the
buildings.  This woman asks why "Stall" is here, apparently mistaking Sanshirou
for someone else.  After a bit of medical care, Sanshirou is able to tell her
that he's not Stall after all.  That makes sense, since Stall was killed by
Earthlings some time ago.  Sanshirou is a bit bashful at receiving her thanks,
mainly because she's so pretty, and she tells him at length that her name is
Erika.  Sanshirou is mildly surprised to happen upon another "Erika", telling
her that the other Erika is the girlfriend of one of his companions - this one,
in Sanshirou's opinion, is far prettier however.  He tells her that she can
stay here during the Taikuu Maryuu's stay at Epsilon City, and says he'll check
in on her later.  ...Of course, she is the saboteur that the Four Lords sent,
and she now goes about fulfilling her mission.

Meanwhile Sanshirou has this big grin on his face as the rest of the crew
wonder how things are going with the girl he saved.  He tells Kazuya that he
now knows how Kazuya felt when he rescued (the other) Erika.  Your people are
indeed surprised at the naming coincidence, but Kyoushirou is
uncharacteristically silent instead of warning people that this may be an
enemy spy... for some reason, he can't bring himself to suspect this person
this time: it would be FAR too unartistic for the enemy to send a spy in that
way.  He doesn't plan to cast aspersions on other people's romances, but
leaves Sanshirou with Shakespeare's proverb "Those who try love fall in love at
first sight".  Banjou points out that love or otherwise, your people can't let
their guard down.

Erika thinks about her lover Stall participating in the Earth assault and
being killed.  In fact, she volunteered to become a saboteur to get revenge,
but...  Sanshirou then comes to check on her, with a bunch of other people who
wanted to see this rumored beauty with their own eyes.  Among them is Kazuya,
who of course is connected to the "other" Erika.  He tells this Erika that even
though they're apart, he believes that one day they'll be back together again.
Erika is already wondering if your people suspect her of being a saboteur as
Kiry quizzes her on her former love.  Sanshirou won't have much of this, and
the rest of your people get shooed out the door fast.  After your people are
gone, Erika notes that they seem like a very cheerful bunch, but is sad that
they're fighting the aliens.  Sanshirou is too, saying that your people have to
stop the invasion as quickly as possible so peace can return.  Erika says that
they're not invading because they like doing so, though she quickly passes
that off as feminine intuition.  Sanshirou says that whatever the reason may
be, its his people's job to brush aside the falling embers.  The subject gets
changed quickly to Erika's pretty pendant, which Stall gave her long ago.
Sanshirou then asks her to be his friend, though he's already decided to be
hers.  Sakon then comes to call Sanshirou to the meeting - he says that he'll
be right there and asks Sakon to make an excuse for him.  He introduces Sakon
as the "brains" behind the Taikuu Maryuu, and Erika realizes that this man is
one of her targets.  Erika hides her scrutiny behind pretending to be tired,
though she tells Sanshirou that his words to her have made her very happy.

Erika gets to angst about what a great, open-hearted guy Sanshirou is - it's
just like being with Stall again.  But she, the Zaylan saboteur, has to take
your people down: her final sorrow.  She's planted a time-bomb on the Taikuu
Maryuu's main computer, but is interrupted by Sakon coming in and telling her
to remove whatever she's plugged into the Taikuu Maryuu's computer.  He's
already removed the bomb itself, telling her that he figured the enemy
operation the other day was nothing if not a feint.  She inquires what he, the
ship's brain, intends to do to her.  He tells her that if she takes the bomb
and departs, he'll do nothing at all.  She can't believe this, telling him to
his face that she's a Zaylan spy: now he knows what the third home planet
among the bad guys is.  He tells her that he doesn't want to do anything that
would hurt Sanshirou, who thinks so much of her - and, in his judgment, she
thinks so much of him too.  He informs her that he's the only one who knows of
her origins, and he's prepared to keep it that way.  She admits defeat to his
brain and his heart, but says that she can't retreat... and her duty includes
eliminating Sakon himself as a threat!  She tells him to regret the
foolishness of coming there alone.

Alarms go off as both the Taikuu Maryuu's head and computer room get bombed.
Some other Zaylans come to thank her for her work and to receive Sakon.  She
asks what will happen to him afterward, and is told that she has no need to
know.  She's about to continue with her mission when her controller asks her a
question first: how does she explain destroying only part of the Taikuu Maryuu
and not the whole thing.  She explains that Sakon interfered, but of course
she had more time after capturing Sakon.  In short, it was a mistake, and her
controller says that mistakes aren't forgivable: he prepares to execute her on
the spot.  She attempts to flee, saying that she can't die here, now.  As she
worries about Stall and Sanshirou, a mysterious ship comes over and rescues
her...


Stage 35A. Tamashii, Juuryoku ni Hikarete -Zenpen- ("Souls Bound by Gravity -
Part 1")

Erika is lamenting how weak she is - even though she had resolved not to see
Kazuya again until peace returned, the sound of his voice and his image on the
screen made her nearly lose it.  But at least she now has courage to equal her
loneliness...

Meanwhile Zechs is not surprised to hear that your people are headed for Axis.
He tells his men that that pan is to head your people off, and his subordinate
is very eager to see the power of the Lightning Count on display.  Zechs for
his part realizes that he was posted here because the Alpha Numbers' moves
were expected - should he take this as a message from Char, or...  Yazan seems
a bit annoyed at playing decoy in place of the vanished Cima, though if he can
fight with Camille it'll all be the same to him.  The two then trade the dialog
about shooting each other in the back from the other branch.

Camille and Wufei spy Yazan's Hammurabi and Zechs' Tallgeese III.  Noin tells
Zechs that she's come to get him now that Riliina has chosen her own path - she
will insist on him choosing his own path now.  It comes as little surprise that
your way to Axis is being blocked - even though the Federation still
theoretically controls it, it's a crucial strategic site for the Neo-Jion.  No
way Char would let you just waltz up to it.  That said, these bozos are
probably not the "counterbalancing" force that Adenauer spoke of.  Both Judou
and Camille feel a huge Pressure, and not from among the opponents before you.
Whoever it is is watching you.  Even the Puru sisters are perturbed, and
Banjou wonders just who the hell could be responsible.

  Defeat all enemies within four turns for a Skill Point.  You should be able
  to do it easily in three.

  Zechs has much the same battle as the other branch, and is worth a Hachimaki.

  Yazan's group have a Dual Sensor, a Magnetic Coating, and a Booster.

Beating the bad guys provides no relief as the Pressure continues to mount.
Showing up next on the scene are a bunch of Quberays and Germarks: a squadron
of Newtypes.  Whoever they are begin to have some kind of effect on the Puru
sisters, and the fact that there are _mass_produced_ Quberays is a bad sign.
Amuro yells to Judou to have the Puru sisters retreat ASAP, which is matched
by a portion of the opposing force pulling back.  Amuro tells Bright that
fighting this bunch head on is dangerous - and you need to get to Axis, even if
it means circumventing these folks.  Bright realizes that it'll be easier on
Judou and Camille that way, and orders everyone to leave this area, making
heading for Axis the top priority.  As the line for escape is drawn, Camille
realizes what he doesn't want to admit: "she" is back.

  For all that these bad guys are supposed to be so dangerous, they die rather
  easily.  In fact, if you kill them all the mission is over.

After making your way through, everyone realizes that their worst fears are
confirmed: Hamarn Kahn is back, and behind the Axis incident...


Stage 36M. Namida no DEBIRUJAGGAA ("The Tearful Deviljager")

The bombing of the head and computer room mean Gaiking can't be sortied now
[not that I was planning to sortie that Scrapheap anyway!]  Worse, Sakon is
missing, and although Shishiou and the others are working on repairing the
main computer there's no ETA for repairs.  Unfortunately, the Taikuu Maryuu is
effectively powerless on only its subcomputers.  Sanshirou wonders where the
hell Sakon is at a time like this, and Kyoushirou angrily points out that
Erika vanished around the same time.  He tells Sanshirou to ask himself what
this fact means, and notes that he's got his hands full with the Barm incident
already.  Sanshirou is bright enough to realize that Erika may be responsible!

No surprise that Melby was the one who fished Erika #2 [as I'll call her from
now on] out of certain death.  Erika #2 very much doesn't trust Melby, who
blasted her comrade Zaylan's vessel, but Melby asks her if she can actually
call someone who spreads their own wars onto other people's planets for no good
reason, and even points weapons at their supposed friends, her "comrade".  She
doesn't get his drift, and he points out to her that this war is being staged
by the top leaders of the three planets - the people on the front lines have
become merely their pawns.  In fact, Erika #2 has heard of Melby's group of
"traitors" and their activities, and furiously tells Melby to shut up: she
won't be part of any of his machinations.  At that point Erika #1 comes up and
says that a bit of female togetherness might solve things [DON'T WE WISH!...]
and Melby leaves it to her to try.  Erika #2 has heard of Erika #1 and her
story, and is surprised to say the least to find her here.  And she's NOT
favorably disposed to this traitorous woman who would have dealings with
Earthlings.  In fact, she's rather furious at Erika #1 for actions that disrupt
her own kind's struggles against their own destruction.  Erika #1 after a
moment says that she'll accept the label of traitor, but points out to Erika #2
that she's fighting for the sake of her people right now.  Just because their
people face annihilation doesn't give them the right to steal another whole
planet's happiness.  In fact, the offworlders had better hope that the
Earthlings flourish if they want any hope for their own people - WHICH is why
this little interplanetary peace front exists.  Erika #2 is amazed to see an
Earthling working with a Barm, but Melby says that there are in fact
representatives of all FOUR planets in on this one.  They have but one goal:
peace among all the worlds.

This is word Erika #2 has all but forgotten, having basically died along with
her Stall.  Erika #1 figured that out upon first glance, and Erika #2 wonders
how the heck Erika #1 can go on living like this.  #1 explains that there is
someone who taught her the meaning of bravery and gentleness, someone who too
has devoted his life to the struggle for peace.  Thus, Erika #1 will walk the
same path.  Erika #2 "knows of" Kazuya, being scared to tell Erika #1 how she
put his life in danger.  Now begins the "oh if only I'd met Sanshirou sooner,
I'd never have gone so far wrong" angst, figuring that it's too late for her.
She tells Erika #1 that she can't walk the same path, and asks her to execute
her or whatever since her life now belongs to Erika #1.  #1 decides to set her
free, although that would reveal the group's position to the Zaylan forces.
Erika #1 believes in #2, and #2 murmers her thanks, telling #1 that Kazuya is
fighting because he believes he'll see her again.  Erika #2 entrusts Erika #1
with her own hopes, praying that she'll be happy one day.  Matilda wonders as
Erika #2 leaves if it's too much to ask for a soldier on the front lines to
understand their ideals.  Riliina figures Erika #2 understood just fine: her
eyes were full of sadness and resolve as she left.

The Four Lords of course have brainwashed Sakon, planning to use him to
destroy the Taikuu Maryuu with his inside knowledge of it.  This gadget is how
they keep control of all rebels, and are QUITE SURE that noone can withstand
its power and retain themself.  As they question Sakon and see that he now
views the Taikuu Maryuu as his Enemy!, word comes in that Erika #2 has
returned.  Desmond knows that she was supposed to have been executed for
failure in her mission, and orders the messenger to dispose of her.  She tells
Desmond that if he wants to kill her, he should kill her heart instead with his
machine.  This would be both for the good of her people and for the good of she
herself.  The Four Lords are intrigued that she'd choose brainwashing herself,
figuring that she's finally realized how filthy and worthless all this talk of
"love" and "hearts" is.  She says that at the very least, such things are in
her way currently.  Desmond thinks this is resolve worthy of a Zaylan, and
Erika #2 prepares to become totally an enemy of Sanshirou.  She prepares to
forget Sanshirou's warm smile, praying for a swift victory for Erika #1...

Sakon turns up, having been found unconscious in the lower levels of Epsilon
City.  He doesn't remember who the saboteur is, be it Erika #2 or otherwise.
Daimoji asks Sakon to hurry and fix the main computer, so Gaiking can at least
be sortied again.  Sakon tells everyone else to hurry and face the enemy
assault that just occurred while he works on fixing the Taikuu Maryuu.

Your people have to protect both the city and the currently busted Taikuu
Maryuu.  The Four Lords are waiting for their plan to come to fruition, and
order their men to tie your troops up.

  Defeat all enemies within seven turns for a skill point.

  Sanshirou is getting very impatient to help out, and goes to check on Sakon
  on turn 2.  Of course what he finds on turn three is a Sakon who seems to
  have gone into full zombie mode.  The Four Lords phone him to see why the
  demolition is taking so long, and he promises to finish it as a member of
  the Zaylan military ASAP.  Of course, Sanshirou now knows his identity, and
  Sakon can't let him out of the room alive.  Sanshirou is going to face him,
  and he tells Sakon that as a former pitcher he doesn't even need a weapon:
  only something to throw.  He demonstrates by throwing one of his legendary
  "disappearing fastballs" and konking Sakon on the noggin, but the guy won't
  go down so easily.  In fact, he then takes down Sanshirou, and when the Four
  Lords call back he announces it to them, convincing them even more that the
  brainwashing worked.  He then recommends that they add the Gaiking, which
  no longer has a pilot, to their arsenal: they already know its power.  He
  agrees to steal the Gaiking and then blow up the Taikuu Maryuu.

  Rather than destroy the Taikuu Maryuu however, he fixes it, and sends
  Sanshirou out to do battle.  Sanshirou gleefully informs the bad guys that
  they fell for Sakon's acting.  It seems that his fabled fastball was even
  stronger than the dreaded Zaylan brainwashing machine.  MOREOVER, the net
  effect of that brainwashing machine was to actually boost Sakon's IQ to
  well over 340!  This is flat out astounding, but there's still no way he
  could have *fixed* the Taikuu Maryuu's main computer in such a short time.
  Dankel realizes what's happened: Sakon is acting INSTEAD of the main
  computer!  Sakon's now plugged in (don't ask how), and leaves the rest up to
  Sanshirou!

  Asimov is worth an Anti-Beam Coating.  Dankel is worth a Biosensor.

  Once you defeat the current crop of bad guys, more pop up, including Erika.

  Desmond is worth a Hybrid Armor.  Erika is worth a Cost Down.  As she dies,
  she murmers for her Stall and her Sanshirou...

As your people are being congratulated for their efforts, Sanshirou finds
Erika's pendant lying on the ground - what's it doing there?  Kazuya asks him
what's wrong, and after a moment he replies only that there are many strange
wonders in the world...

Your people are soon to leave the Moon to attack the Neo-Jion.  Sakon has
fully repaired the Taikuu Maryuu from backups - he won't have to play computer
any more.  Kyoushirou quips that going back to the regular computer may still
be a "version down", and though Sakon points out that his increased IQ is
"damage" from the brainwashing device, he says that the information he gained
while in the Zaylans' hands should come in handy with planning future strategy.
 When Sanshirou asks about the person who bombed the Taikuu Maryuu and
kidnapped him, Sakon claims that lingering damage from the brainwasher keeps
him from remembering.  Sanshirou is holding the pendant he picked up on the
battlefield, and Nana (unknowingly) says that its pretty design would suit
Erika perfectly.  Sanshirou smiles and agrees, and heads on ahead.  Kazuya asks
Sakon if things are really best this way, and Sakon says that the truth is not
always the right thing to tell - this way, Erika can live on inside him as
beautiful as ever.  Kazuya slowly agrees...


Stage 36. "Tamashii, Juuryuoku ni Hikarete - Gohen"  ("Souls Bound By Gravity
-
  Part 2")

Iria reports to Hamarn that Axis has now been occupied.  As she orders her
people to stay on alert, the Federation captain wonders why the hell he was
attacked when Hamarn's people would have gotten the place back even without a
fight.  But the ships that arrive are the Alpha Numbers, who Hamarn Khan
greets.  She confirms for Judou that she hasn't thrown in the towel yet, still
trying to wipe out life on Earth.  She says that he showed her one possible
future in the previous war, BUT when the gravity wave threatened the world the
world allowed the Titans and other bad influences to seize control of the
government.  She concludes that your people can't show her any sort of new
future for mankind: all your "peace" will produce is a cycle of stupidity and
conflict.  Which is in fact why Char and Dugachi are around.  She informs
Amuro that she doesn't intend to tread Char or Dugachi's path: she's the ruler
of the rightful Neo-Jion, and Char can't lead mankind towards a better future.
In the final analysis, it looks like there's no hope but to duke it out after
all.  The Puru sisters resolve to fight here, saying there's nowhere left to
run to.

  Rakan is worth a Solar Panel.  Iria is worth an I-Field Barrier.

  Once you wear down the flagship enough, Hamarn herself will decide to come
  forth, hoping to discern what sort of power your people have gained after so
  many battles, and whether that power can show her the future.  Amuro is
  somehow surprised to hear her use the word "discern", and Judou says that if
  there's truly no choice, he'll have no choice but to defeat her here.

  You must reduce Hamarn to less than 45k HP to win.  Do so in under six turns
  for a Skill Point.  You should be able to do it in five.

  Have Judou fight Hamarn, but make sure both live through the encounter.  He
  demands to know why she and he, who understand each other, have to fight.
  Hamarn tells him that mutual understanding does not automatically imply
  mutual acceptance - there are times when fighting is the only way to proceed
  forward.  If so, Judou vows to take her down right now and end it all.  He
  then says that he thought Hamarn coughed up all her hatred the previous time:
  she had, and that's the only reason why she's here today.  Then why fight:
  there must be other ways to change the world than war!  She tells him that
  the same foolish mistakes will continue as long as human souls are bound by
  gravity: isn't that knowledge what drives Judou to cast his body into the
  flames of battle?  He says he only does so because Hamarn's people try to
  solve everything by fighting, and his mech starts to glow.  He tells her that
  in the end she's no different than Char and Dugachi: she restricts everyone
  else's possibilities because of her own thoughts.  No one human can amount
  to anything - no solitary human can change the world!  He yells that she's
  too impatient for results, leading to her extreme methods: that's no
  revolution, just an outpouring of hatred!  She counters that that hatred is
  devouring the world: there _is_ no time left!  Judou says that your people
  know there's time left: thus, he can't let any further mistakes happen in
  the here and now.

  If Hamarn fights Amuro, she asks how miserable he feels to be betrayed by
  Char.  Amuro says that he feels neither misery or hatred: he's been long
  since prepared for the mistake that Char made.  Hamarn openly doubts this,
  perceiving a whole host of emotions roiling beneath Amuro's exterior.  Amuro
  perceives the same in her...

Hamarn is impressed that you can "take down" her Quberay, saying that she's
seen the power of your wills.  Unfortunately, a boatload of new enemies appear
on the scene - you seem to have no choice but to retreat.  Making matters even
worse, some *Federation* vessels appear, commanded by Adenauer who orders you
all to immediately stand down.  Your people can't believe that the Federation
intends to negotiate, and Cima apologizes for the armada being delayed by all
the red tape.  Hamarn is happy that she'll be able to legally get Axis, and
Amuro and Bright are *NOT* happy about being made to participate in this
farce.

Kamlan checks to see that all the money is there (it is), and Adenauer will
permit Hamarn to retain her forces until Char surrenders.  Kamlan can't believe
that Hamarn isn't being made to disarm as well, and Adenauer warns her that the
Federation army will be keeping an eye on her as stipulated in the contract.
Hamarn testily checks that someone _other_ than the Alpha Numbers will be
handling that, and she and Adenauer discuss how if she disarms after Char's
surrender she'll be granted perpetual rights to Axis.  Adenauer will even throw
in some Federation aide, which she says will be a big help to her men.
Adenauer seems to think he's got Hamarn cowed; she seems to think that he's a
total moron.

Afterwards, Bright wonders if Adenauer *seriously* thinks Hamarn will accede
to simply keeping Char in check for the Federation.  Adenauer says that Staff
HQ has judged that Hamarn would never join forces with Char, but Synapse
points out that if she, Char, and Dugachi were to join forces, it'd be a bigger
threat than Jion ever was.  Adenauer irritably reminds him that this isn't the
One Year War, and says that by latching onto the _other_ worries of the bad
guys (like feeding their noncombattants) they should be easily held in check.
Vera politely reminds him that these are people who were perfectly self-
sufficient while living in the asteroid belt: a simple food embargo seems
unlikely to have much effect.  Adenauer tells her that these people abandoned
that life to return to the Earth Sphere, but she asks what would happen if they
felt they didn't need the Earth: what would he do if they wanted to wipe out
all the gravity-bound souls, along with the Earth itself?  Well, that's why
your people have all kinds of special rights and privileges, now, isn't it? He
breaks the news that your people don't even get to check up on Hamarn, and
orders your people to leave the Axis area immediately.  God this sucks.  Bright
furiously wonders if Staff HQ is even trying to protect the Earth at all.  And
things only look grimmer should Char and Hamarn actually reach some sort of
accord...

See the other path for Hamarn's chat with Cima.


Stage 37. Choukijin no Shukumei ("Destiny of the Choukijin")

The mysterious Custos says that its Shrine Maiden's awakening, and its
resurrection, is near.  Its power is for the sake of its children, for
protecting the Earth.  It summons the Choukijin of the Four Gods, its servant
the Ryuu-Ko-Ou back to it...

Char is blandly digesting the news that Hamarn now owns Axis, figuring that
it's a fairly clever plan for the Federation - or perhaps Hamarn came up with
it herself.  Nanai further reports that it was Cima who acted as intermediary,
and Gatou burns with righteous anger, asking Char's permission to take this
treacherous vixen down once and for all.  Char refuses, saying that her role
ended with the theft of the nuclear Gundam - besides, she doesn't know
_everything_.  Nanai asks what to do now that Axis is off the bargaining
table: this is a major setback for "that plan".  Char notes that his people
aren't Hamarn's only enemies, and decides to let her keep watch over Axis for
the time being.  He expresses doubts that Hamarn can perceive his true intent,
and Nanai wonders if Char is somehow sympathizing with her.  So, is the "Earth
Winterizing Operation" to proceed as scheduled?  Yes, especially since all the
attention on Axis will make Fifth Luna that much easier to steal.  Char gives
Gatou command of the task force, telling him to go and make Delaz's wishes
come true.  Gatou is most eager to revive Operation Stardust with his own
hands...

Meanwhile, your crew are having a merry arm-wrestling tournament.  Britto
bests Boz handily with a little encouragement from Irui, but it seems that
Hiiro took first place, followed by Wufei who feels like Joe Schmoe #1.
Apparently the GW boys are a lot stronger than they look, and Kusuha has some
refreshments for all.  She allays their fears by saying that she diluted her
usual beverage with grapefruit juice.  Watching your other people scramble to
avoid drinking it is pretty comical, and when some people finally drink it it
makes a few of them actually pass out (Hiiro wasn't particularly perturbed).
Retzer begins rattling off the ingredients, which read like the scariest health
drink you've ever heard of.  Kusuha is amazed that he managed to get every one
of the numerous ingredients right, and confesses to buying all the ingredients
via mail order.  He gently suggests to her that she might want to consider a
little extra sweetner to take the edge off...

Meanwhile, a Neo-Jion fleet is shadowing you, not yet moving to strike.  Amuro
opines that attacking it from your side might be a good idea, especially to
gain any clues about what Char's next move might be.  Bright concurs and
orders everyone to alert.  Apparently this is what the Neo-Jion wanted, in
order to slow you down.  Amuro wants your people to take out the bad guys
inside four turns, and the people who drank Kusuha's drink are actually feeling
really good at the moment...

  Take out the bad guys within four turns for a Skill Point.  Good play can
  easily do so inside two turns. ^^;;;

  One of the enemies has a Study Computer.

After the bad guys are defeated, Britto asks everyone to head on back first
since there's some trouble with the Ryuu-Ko-Ou.  He turns down Banjou's offer
of a tow, and after everyone else is gone it's clear why...  Out again comes
the tired cliche of "we can't trouble anyone else", as the Shark Custos shows
up.  The Custos is up to its usual games, calling its "children" back to
itself psychically, it's the Lord of Swords, blah blah.  Britto isn't buying
the argument that it's only natural for servants to serve their master, and
asks why the Custos is trying to force their loyalty by power: why it's trying
to destroy the Ryuu-Ko-Ou.  Eventually, it answers and says that evil once
lurked on this planet - and to destroy it, the so-called Choujinki were
created.  Wiping out evil is the Choujinki's destiny.  Many Choujinki in fact
served the Custos, but some were led astray by evil, leading to the "Great
Choujin War".  The king of the Choukijin, "Shirei" ("Four Ghosts"), and his
servant "Shijin" ("Four Gods") fought against the evil "Shikyou" ("Four
Disasters" and "Shizai" ("Four Sins").  Shijin of course refers to the
Ryuu-Ko-Ou, meaning that you really _did_ work for the Custos at some point!
Actually, there's more - of course there should be _four_ of the Ryuu-Ko-Ou,
and it turns out that the Ryuu-Ou-Ki and Ko-Ou-Ki turned on their brethren the
Jaku-Ou-Ki (i.e.  "sparrow") and the Mu-Ou-Ki ("warrior"), striking them down.
The Custos says that treachery will not be tolerated twice, and repeats its
call to the Choukijin to return to it.  Britto gets sick of hearing this after
a while, and tells the Custos to stuff it - he believes in the Ryuu-Ou-Ki and
Ko-Ou-Ki, your companions through the last war.  There must be some reason that
they struck down their companions and left the Custos - and in fact, given that
the Choukijin exist to protect the human world, when it comes to wiping out
evil, the Custos itself seems to be an Evil too!  Kusuha realizes that he's hit
the nail on the head, and Britto says that if the Choukijin are _really_ the
servants of the Custos, there should be no reason to force them to obey.  In
fact, the Custos is not only evil, but will surely bring calamity onto the
world of man some day!  This is sounding like a great Hong Kong flick by this
point, and it's time to show this uppity Custos who's (not the) boss!

When you spank the thing's ass, it vanishes abruptly.  Unfortunately, the
pilots realize that the Custos isn't going after anyone other than they
themselves - this is a problem they can't let hurt anyone else.

Of course, Char's men have meanwhile started attacking Fifth Luna, a mining
asteroid.  Amuro ponders this a moment, and then yells out to Bright that he's
read Char's intentions: the fleet needs to get to Fifth Luna RIGHT NOW.  He
realizes that Char wants to dump the damn thing on the Earth!...


Stage 38. Hoshi no Kuzu, Futatabi ("Stardust, Again")

The nuclear pulse engines are already pushing Fifth Luna towards the Earth.
Bright orders the thing destroyed if you can't divert it, and Amuro is more
than annoyed that Char chose this moment to strike.  Bright is counting on
Amuro to take out the soldiers protecting the thing - Amuro for his part will
be damned before he sees everything go Char's way.

Camille can sense Char's approach, and he's not at all calm about it.  He's
adamant that your people have to stop this man who would ravage the Earth.
Hiiro meanwhile plans to head ahead in his Gundam, on the strength of the words
of Zechs who said your people have yet to fathom Char's true motives.  That
turned out to be true, which should mean that this time Zechs is fighting all
alone: thus, Hiiro is going to help him.

Zechs is in fact raising hell, provoking Gatou to say that there seems to be
more insects among the lions than just Cima.  Gyunei wants to know why Zechs
leaked word of the plan to the Federation, and he says that they would have
found out anyway sooner or later.  In which case, the sooner the better, so
the damage at the point of impact can be minimized.  Plus, he has no further
desire to be used as a tool to further swell Char's desires.  Gyunei says that
revealing his true nature now will be the death of him, and Zechs says that he
cast his life away long ago, along with the name of the wind [err?].  Gatou is
impressed with this show of resolve, and determines to shoot Zechs not as a
traitor but as a bona fide warrior.  Zechs wonders how long he can last
against these impossible odds when Hiiro shows up, having expected this sort of
thing from Zechs.  Zechs responds that there are some things that can only be
seen by standing in the enemy's shoes (which he did), and Hiiro notes that
Riliina doesn't want Zechs dead.  Besides, Zechs has a duty to see Riliina's
fight through to the end, and Zechs resolves to borrow Hiiro's strength.

  When your people show up on turn two, Kou and Gatou trade some fine trash
  talking about whether or not he'll be able to see Operation Stardust through
  to its finish.  It turns out that Fifth will land on Rasa, whereat lies
  Federation HQ.  Amuro tells Bright to issue evacuation orders immediately,
  which Zechs says is unnecessary since the evacuation should have already
  begun.

  Quess is worth a Psychoframe.  Gyunei is worth a Biosensor.

  On the next turn, Char comes.  Amuro demands to know why he wants to make
  Earth uninhabitable via nuclear winter.  Char has proclaimed death on the
  Earthlings because they care for nothing other than themselves.  Amuro says
  that man has no right to judge other men like that, and he claims that he's
  purging them.  Amuro yells out that that's egotistical, and Char wonders why
  Amuro, who's fought through the same battles he has, doesn't realize that
  the time is coming when the Earth won't pull through.  As long as souls are
  bound by gravity, as long as the Earth exists, the renewal will never come
  even in millions of years.  He tells Camille that he's going to change
  history: there's value in people stretching forth their hand to do so.
  Camille counters that there's something deeply wrong with doing so at the
  cost of innumerable lives, but Char says that at this rate the entire Earth
  Sphere will be consumed: thus, he's going to cut the problem off at the root.
  More or less, your people are infuriated and prepared to stuff their weaponry
  as far up his puckered little ass as they can, and he welcomes them to try.
  Of course, Kincaidu will have to face laughing maniacal boy Zabiine first.
  He goes off to the side, making for an interesting little side duel...

  This battle will end either when there are five enemy squads left, or when
  Char is reduced to less than 50k HP.  Do the former within seven turns for a
  Skill Point.

  Kincaidu is now sure that Zabiine is just like Iron Mask.  Zabiine still
  claims that this is all for Vera's sake.  This dirty work is his role, and
  his fondest wish.

  Rezun is worth a Dual Sensor.  Kelly is worth a Booster.

  Have Camille fight with Yazan, and make sure both of them survive.  Yazan is
  having fun fighting Camille, and tells him that the only meaning battle
  holds for him is defeating the enemies immediately in front of him.  After
  the combat, Camille will tell Yazan to get out of his way so he can conduct
  his business with Char.  He asks Char if he _really_ wants to go down as the
  greatest villain in history via this act.  Char says that that's why he's
  here: he's no more or less than Char Aznable (not Quatro).  Camille refuses
  to honor Yazan's directive to watch Fifth fall from the afterlife, demanding
  to know what he saw in the Titans.  Does he intend to keep up the killing?!
  Camille isn't doing this for fun like Yazan is, and Camille mech starts
  brimming with the energy of life: life that Camille won't see disappear from
  the universe for the egotism of one man!  Camille is going totally bonkers
  now, both he and his Gundam crying from the collective thoughts of many
  people he's gathered.  Camille yells out to Quatro that whatever rationale
  he tries to use, Camille won't forgive him.

  Yazan's crew is worth a Multisensor.

  If Kou fights Gatou, he'll point out to Kou that you can no longer stop
  Fifth.  Kou responds that if he doesn't stop Gatou here, the fighting will
  only spread - and defeating Gatou's people and stopping the fighting is his
  fondest wish.

  Gatou is worth a Megabooster.  Kalas is worth a Minovsky Drive.
  Giry is worth a High Powered Radar.

  Send Vera or Kincaidu to fight Dorel.  Dorel is just carrying out his
  ancestors wish of thinning out humanity, but Vera asks where the justice is
  in that.  She tells him to open his eyes: right now he's just possessed by
  the ghost of Iron Mask.  Dorel is worth a Hybrid Armor.

  Have Amuro fight Char *in the MS form of a Re-GZ*.  Char will belabor the
  "souls trapped by gravity" bit to death.  Have Judou fight him in the ZZ as
  well, only to get told that unlike Hamarn who wants to rule humanity, Char is
  fighting to save the future.  If you haven't gotten the High Mega Cannon Full
  Power, you'll get it now.

  When Kincaidu takes down Zabiine, Zabiine gets furious, blaming the whole
  thing on Kincaidu and on Vera for stealing his heart.  Or rather, it's all
  Kincaidu's fault as a commoner for making Vera turn her back on the nobility.
  Kincaidu is in fact singlehandedly responsible for wrecking Zabiine's dream
  of an aristocracy, and somehow slices the head off Kincaidu's mech.  It
  falls to Earth without an answer to Vera, and Zabiine decides he's got no
  further business here.  He promises to come and get Vera sooner or later...

  Take Char to less than 50% of his HP so that you can face him in the
  legendary Nightingale later in the game.  For now, he's impressed at how
  well you all have done: you're worthy to be his enemies.  Char is about to
  leave, and when Amuro tells him that their duel isn't finished yet Char
  replies that unlike Amuro he can't afford to be a mere pilot.  He orders all
  his people to pull back.

Amuro can't believe that your people failed to stop the drop.  But it's not
over yet: you've got plenty of machines that can withstand reentry - you've
got to do your utmost to destroy the thing even until the bitter end.  Your
people follow Fifth Luna into the atmosphere, and the kiddies are pretty jumpy.
 Kenta says that he can sense the very grass and trees of the Earth trembling
in fear.
 He's hearing "many voices", but Mamoru is absolutely sure that your people can
pull this one off too.  This rallies the rest of the kids, who all believe in
you...


Stage 39. Zetsubou to Naraku e no Kouka ("Descent into Despair and Hell")

The base is nearly evacuated, and the commander is clearly skeptical that the
Alpha Numbers can do anything to stop the asteroid.  Moreover, the
Subterraneans have chosen _this_ time to stage a raid - a raid ALL OVER THE
WORLD.  An all-out battle has started in all the crucial bases and capitals
everywhere...

Meanwhile, the Brain Powerd pilots are mulling over the coming dispatch in the
heat of reentry.  Kanan is worried that Rasse seems to be in a hurry to die,
and after a moment he decides to heed Kanan's warning.  After she leaves, it
turns out that Yuu has seen the whole thing.  Rasse confesses to him that he
has leukemia, and hasn't sought treatment - this is because he truly loves the
Earth, and would rather die in battle than watch from a hospital somewhere as
unknown invaders trash it.  The good news is that meeting Kanan has made him
less eager to waste away to his eventual death: he wants to live long enough
to love Kanan back.  Both pilots caution each other not to die in battle...

Meanwhile, Vera would really like her subordinates to let her go and try to
find Kincaidu.  She recalls how it was he who gave her somewhere to go after
leaving Cosmo Babylonia.  Bernadette tells her to believe in Kincaidu's well
being: he fought to protect her, and it's unimaginable that he'd be gone now.
Vera takes a moment to steel her nerves, and then resumes her command.

You've got to destroy Fifth Luna before it passes the point of no return.
There are some automated machines lingering around to hold you off.  It's
impossible to tell through all the EM interference if anyone else is coming.
You have six turns before it will no longer be possible to keep up the
pursuit.
 Bright tells everyone to take out the defenses within five turns, and spend
the sixth concentrating fire on the asteroid itself.

  Take out the bad guys within four turns for a Skill Point.  Good play can
  do it in three.

  On turn two, the Four Lords show up to try to get into the asteroid and
  change its course to hit Japan.  Apparently what they want is the Earth
  itself, uninhabited, and are sure their science can repair any damage they
  do to it.

Life is sucking pretty hard, since Fifth is going faster than you planned and
since the frictional heat is shielding it from your attacks.  Your people
aren't going to give up so easily, so they can prove to Quatro that, in Kouji's
words, not everything goes his way.  As your people prepare to attack, Gatou
shows up and fires some nukes, in the hopes of speeding the damn thing up.  The
plot prevents you from doing anything to stop him.  What happens next is
somewhat unclear.

Hamarn learns that Fifth Luna has fallen to Earth.  She tells her subordinates
to assume battle stations: the aliens are probably coming after the colonies
now.  She thinks to absent Judou and the Alpha Numbers that it isn't over
yet...  Darius hears that the Earth has been dealt a catastrophic blow, albeit
one that won't hinder the Zaylan colonists.  The Four Lords promise to kill
any survivors, and Darius tells them to use "that plan" against Little Barm as
well.  Whatever this plan is seems to involve nearly infinite warpower...

Nanai informs Char that Fifth Luna fell "more or less" on schedule on Rasa.
Apparently that means that the Alpha Numbers managed to reduce its mass by
about 20%.  Char muses that your people resisted to the end, and Nanai says
that the damage to the Earth is still about what was expected.  Char is glad
that at least this one milestone has been cleared, but falls silent when Nanai
tells him that the Mikeene staged their own attack during the drop.  Looks
like life is REALLY sucking for those on Earth right now.  Just then Dugachi
calls up to congratulate Char on his plan.  When Char refuses praise, Dugachi
asks him to get moving with the next phase of the plan.  Apparently he's got
enough nukes stored on Jupitoris 9 to reduce everything on Earth to ash.  Char
after a moment says that now is not the time for that: he wants to wait until
he's made all the human souls trapped by gravity see the error of their ways.
Dugachi wonders if Char is losing his stomach for this fight, and smugly
questions how long Char's margin for error will last...  Char realizes that the
aliens are liable to act up now that the power balance on Earth has been
smashed, and figures he has no choice but to ally himself with Dugachi for now,
even though Dugachi can be counted upon for treachery at some point.  Between
all that and Hamarn, Char muses that he won't have time to savor his little
victory.  Well, he may have a _bit_ since the highest ranking soldiers are
waiting to toast his victory.  Char thinks to Amuro, if he's alive, to feel his
will: this fight is going to proceed to the next stage, along with the renewal
of humanity...


Stage 40. "Nelly - Revival"

Somewhere, Yuu is being woken up by his sister, to have tea before it gets
cold.  Yuu is mildly surprised to see that his parents are both there too...
He is of course dreaming, and wakes up in the company of Nelly, somewhere
where it's snowy.  It seems that she's got a Brain of her own, which is keeping
Yuu's injured Brain company.  Yuu starts with the torrent of questions about
what's going on and all, which amuses Nelly since she's not been around people
much of late.  Nelly ushers Yuu into her hut against the coming blizzard.  It
seems she lives all alone...

Meanwhile, a reporter for Palermo Radio is broadcasting a tale of more enemy
forces in the sky than he's ever seen before.  Does mankind have nothing to
counter this?  He manages to bid the world farewell before being messily
disemboweled by a Battle Beast.  Kusuha and Britto are listening to this
unhappily: Kusuha is feeling powerless about not being able to help out against
this ill-timed assault, but Britto is determined to fight on, even if he's the
last human on Earth.  As he apologizes for his outburst, Nelly(!) comes over
and tells them to be patient: their machines are working as hard as they can to
heal their wounds.  Besides, her Brain is interested in the Choukijin - maybe
these fellow Organic machines are affecting each other favorably.  In any case,
your people are glad to hear that Yuu is awake now...

After the blizzard, Nelly and her Brain are out *ice-skating*.  Yuu is very
happy at the sight, though he turns down her offer of a ride, saying that her
Brain probably wouldn't like him inside.  Nelly is happy too, since her Brain
wants to play: Yuu muses that these Antibodies may have been born to play.
Yuu is regarding Nelly, who reminds him of someone he knows - not her face or
her carriage, but something about her "atmosphere", something about the way
she talks to her Brain is exactly like someone from his past.  Yuu admits to
her that he can't really hear his Brain's words, but she doesn't buy it: his
Brain protected him after their fall despite its own dreadful wounds.  Yuu
recalls what Hime says about being able to understand her Brain without words,
and how her Brain is always happy when his Brain talks.  Nelly suggests that
maybe Yuu has simply never tried listening: Yuu has probably noticed that his
fiery personality has softened as he stayed with his Brain, and observes that
this "Hime" must be more important to Yuu than he himself admits.  She tells
him that everyone has someone "important" to them, else life becomes a
painful, frightening thing: and that goes for organic machines like the Brain
Powerds too.  Yuu realizes that his sister actually is in touch with the
feelings of her Granger, and asks where Nelly's important person is.  Nelly
says that they split up - she elected to stay here with her Brain.  She had
hoped that the two of them could live here in peace - but that's not possible:
she and her Brain were both born into this age for a purpose.  Yuu's Brain then
gets up, but quickly heeds Yuu's warning to rest up some more.  Nelly assures
Yuu that Brains like him, and that he'll eventually come to understand his
Brain's feelings.  As the conversation continues, it's Nelly's turn to open up.
 She has a degenerative disease and should be dead now, killed when she was
present for her Brain's Revival.  Of course, it didn't kill her, and she's had
her hands full just helping her Brain to play.  She says that she can't show
her Brain its true potential, though perhaps Yuu can.  This all has the other
two pretty sad, but Nelly isn't sad herself - she's glad she met you all before
the end.  She's also glad to know of the Choukijin, which carry within them
the memory of their comrades of old: memories that they won't let die easily.
She tells your people to remember that, no matter what else happens, they're
not fighting alone.  It looks like the Choukijin are healed, and it now depends
on Yuu's Brain.  Yuu tells Nelly that your people have to leave here, which
she foresaw due to your part in the larger flow of destiny.  The fall of the
asteroid greatly influenced Orphan and another "great entity", which Britto
realizes may be the Custos.  Nelly doesn't know precisely what this slumbering
thing is, but she does know that it's about to wake up.  Just then Jonathan
shows up, and not an illusion but the genuine article.  Yuu tries to fight,
but his Brain isn't in any condition to face Jonathan's Granger.  Yuu them
implores his Brain to flee, and Jonathan says that his life isn't a total waste
now that he's seen Yuu and his Brain in tears.  As Jonathan gets that gleam in
his eye and decides to bring an end to the Isami Family, Nelly intervenes.  She
accuses Jonathan of bringing evil to her forest, and tainting the Vital Net.
Jonathan tells her to shut up: this is his and Baron Maximillian's business.
Nelly tells Max that what he's doing with his Granger is wrong, and that if he
doesn't withdraw she may just self- destruct her Brain: in which case she
would be a sinner as well and suffer punishment along with him.  Jonathan wants
to punish Yuu, but Nelly warns him that he doesn't have as much power as he
thinks he does.  She tells his Baron Zu to return to being a Brain, and it
actually hesitates.  Yuu's Brain isn't in good shape at all, and is more or
less going down in flames.  Yuu demands if this is really the way his Brain
wants it to end: not able to save or even be saved.  Suddenly, he hears its
words, thanking him for taking it away from Orphan.  Telling him how happy it
was to live in sight of the sun and the stars.  He tells his Brain to _do_
something if it's frustrated, and when Kusuha and Britto come over to hold
Jonathan off, he warns them that Jonathan is _not_ normal.  Max then warns a
rather carefree Jonathan not to underestimate what cornered people may do...

  Defeat the Baron Zu in five turns (it flees at 7k HP).  You should be able
  to do it in more like three, or four if you want to take out all the
  Grangers first (downing Jonathan will end the battle).

  Life starts to suck on turn 2 when a bunch of Reclaimers show up.  Britto
  reminds Kusuha of Nelly's words: however many enemies there may be, they're
  not fighting alone.

  Once you damage Jonathan more than a little bit, he gets pissed that you're
  taking so long to kill.  He gets more pissed when more of your dudes show up
  to help.  Apparently Kenta somehow knew that your people are here, Kiry
  opining that Kenta should set up shop as a fortune teller when this is all
  over.  Gai is glad to see Kusuha okay, and tells her that the rest of the
  Alpha Numbers are already regrouped elsewhere: your people are the last to
  be collected.  Note that you can now use Magic again!

  One of the bad guys has an Organic Unit.

When you take down Jonathan, Baron holds him back from going any further,
saying that he's not able to fully draw forth the Zu's power.  Jonathan simply
won't give up on going after Yuu, and Nelly furiously demands to know what Max
is thinking helping out Jonathan in his evil deeds.  She then points out to
Jonathan that his wrath is merely being manipulated by the Baron and his
Granger.  Jonathan isn't listening, and tells Yuu that he'll suffer less pain
if he lets him strike the final blow right now.  Yuu tells his Brain that he
doesn't care what it wants to do: whatever it is, he'll go along for the ride.
The Brain then Revivals, and Yuu tells Nelly that he's prepared himself: she's
got to run away.  She in turns says that she's prepared herself to protect
him: she knows that he's someone who can raise Brains to be stronger than her.
She tells him to live enough for her too.  As Jonathan wonders what the hell
is going on, Yuu's Brain continues to Revival again, Nelly saying that this is
necessary because his Brain isn't complete yet.  Max commands Jonathan to let
him ride in the Zu's hand: if this is what he fears it is, he's going to need
to get back to Orphan post haste.  Jonathan doesn't want to obey, but Max
finally persuades him.

It seems that Yuu's Brain is becoming one with Nelly's.  She says that it was
to meet someone like Yuu that her Brain didn't want to leave here.  She tells
Yuu that he's got to search for whoever gave life to all of this in her stead.
Her Brain will join him in the search, lending him its power to protect those
people important to him.  She asks him at the end to remember not to fight only
out of hatred: unless he does so, Orphan can't be stopped.  Nelly thanks him
for helping her be not alone in her final moments.  Your other people then show
up, wondering at Yuu's new Brain.  Yuu tells his Brain not to cry anymore...

Yuu buries Nelly's bracelet, noting that Nelly's Brain should treasure the
many memories of her it has inside rather than some external trinket.  He tells
the Brain that Hime is a good girl, which Hime thanks him for but says that
she doesn't like people who can't love others.  Yuu tells her after a moment
that Nelly feared Jonathan and the Baron entering Orphan.  He tells her that
for that reason, for the fight, he's sealing away one of his memories...

Irui is glad to see everyone back again.  She assures Kusuha that it's not her
fault for their promise being broken: it's all the fault of the Neo-Jion and
the aliens.  She uncharacteristically says that if only they hadn't come...
The GGG people then fill you on on what the last ten days have held: in
addition to Rasa being obliterated, the Mikeene have been attacking all the
key sites on the Earth at once.  The Federation is hanging by a thread, and
should the fighting continue it'll fall.  Things are getting even worse as
Orphan continues to surface.  The Jovians and Neo-Jion are in "watching from on
high" mode right now, and the Federation army brass are going berserk,
realizing that they may be the next recipients of an asteroid from on high.
Your people are beginning to seriously wonder if Char is right about the
shortsightedness of souls trapped by gravity.  Moreover, Orphan is about a week
from surfacing completely: i.e., it's surfaced partially already, adding to the
panic with the Organic Energy depletion it causes.  Not that your people are
planning to quite.  Shingo explains how Kenta can now talk to all the trees and
grasses and junk to find out where you all were: nature spirits and whatnot.
So can Makoto and Irui, and Yuu isn't surprised: pure children can be expected
to hear Organic things more sensitively than the not-so-pure adults.  Kiry
explains that you'd all best return to the Good Thunder before it warps off
somewhere again: that's where Kenta is talking with his computerized father, in
much the same way Hiroshi can chat with his departed dad.

Everyone except for Kincaidu is gathered - and Kincaidu is the only person
that Kenta couldn't find.  Shinda explains to Savalas that Kenta's development
is connected with the Beamlar's awakening, which in turn has ramifications for
Kenta's friends.  He explains to Kenta that your people have many trials still
ahead of you: but if you can overcome them humanity will take its next step.
He says that although humans have ventured to outer space, they're still
immature: to truly leave the next, they need to leave their guardian.  Kenta
wants to know what Beamlar has to do with this, and Shinda tells him that
he'll understand in time.  And when he does, it will be the beginning of both
his and mankind's journey.  He then returns to his slumber inside the
computer...


Stage 41. Kyoufu!  Nihon Seiatsu Sakusen - Zenpen ("Terror!  The Japan
Subjugation Operation Part 1")

Algos reports to his emperor that the blitzkriegs are going very well, likening
the chances of human survival in the face of the seven Generals and their
armies of battle beasts to that of a flame in the wind.  The emperor cautions
his subordinate not to toast the victory before it's achieved, but Algos is
sure he can take out not only the humans left on the Earth but the ones who
fled to space too.  The emperor can't believe there are humans stupid enough to
harm their own planet, and wants to know what the Great General of the Dark is
up to.  He seems to be in the final stages of his plan to take over Japan,
leading the charge himself in typical fashion.  The emperor notes that he's
sent a trump card to Japan, but at this rate probably won't have to use it.  He
won't tell Algos what this card is, but decides to kick back and wait for word
of the battle...

At the Science Laboratory Fortress, the surviving professors are lamenting how
most of their fellow labs have been taken over by the Mikeene - the north half
of Japan could be said to be totally under Mikeene control.  The Federation
certainly can't be counted upon to help with their chain of command in a
mess,and both Saotome and Yumi are missing to boot, although their staffs have
been evacuated here.  Kenzou has to reassure the kiddies that they mustn't
give up hope until the very end: Kouji and the others are surely alive.  And
whether they are or not, every last one of the people here has to fight: peace
won that way has value.  In fact, it appears that the time to do so is fast
approaching!
 Kenzou has the kids go to the shelter, saying that it's not yet time for
_them_ to fight, and resolves to take command of the combat.  He's resolved to
hold off the enemy until Kouji and Tetsuya and the others show up.

He informs his troops that if this lab fails, the next to fall will be Big
Falcon: failure is not an option.  The profs are annoyed at the realization
that the Mikeene have rounded up the survivors of the Jama and Kyouryuu
empires.  In fact, these bad guys are led by the Great General of the Dark,
leader of one of Mikeene's seven armies.  He tells Kenzou to surrender, since
with the death of the Alpha Numbers there's no strength in humanity left to
oppose him.  Kenzou of course refuses, saying that as long as people love
peace and freedom he'll never surrender.  The General is actually pleased to
hear such words: it was worth him coming himself... that said, he plans to
send Kenzou and his pride to hell.  Unfortunately, Ulyceasar, leader of the
giant-shaped battle beasts, goes and shoots down the Photon Power missiles
Kenzou responds with.  Moreover, Gorgon tells Ikima and the others that it's
time to pay back the generosity that the Mikeene showed them.  Life is sucking
given that the Thunder Beam Rockets can't be used now, and Kenzou orders Dairi
to take all the evacuees and flee.  Kenzou figures that he can no longer count
on everyone else to save his bacon, and launches the control tower of the
base: he plans to give his life in exchange for taking out the bad guys.
Fortunately, someone shows up at the last moment to stop this.  It's your
people, back to their old allies of justice schtick. ^_^  Your people
acknowledge the massive power of the General, Mikeene's supreme forward
commander and one of the most dangerous people in the whole Balmar war.  Insert
plenty of trash talking.

  By the way, in this map is a building called "Boz's Hut".  Move a squad with
  Boz in it next to it and you'll get a Cost Down.

  After you wound the flagship, the General can no longer contain his warrior's
  blood calling and comes out himself.  He praises you all for making him
  stand on this battlefield, but declares that he'll risk his title as
  general and his sword on this fight.  He can encourage the troops too, which
  sort of sucks.  Time to see whose resolve is stronger...

  Defeat all other enemies before the General for a Skill Point.

  Ulyceasar is worth a Hachimaki.  When you take him down, the General orders
  him to retreat, saying that there are still things left for him to do.

  Gorgon is worth a Super Alloy Z.  Ikima is worth a Chobham Armor.

  If/when Gorgon fights Tetsuya, he tells Tetsuya that it's time to end their
  long, adversarial relationship.  Tetsuya has trained for this day since
  childhood: this is his destiny.

  Gorgon is worth a Nejiri-Hachimaki and truly monumental amounts of XP.  He
  tells you to not think that you've won - even though he falls here, someone
  will follow in his footsteps and lead the seven armies to victory over the
  surface of the Earth.  What he needs now is a song to give him courage to
  endure the sufferings of hell.  Tetsuya has to admit that although this guy's
  path was the wrong one, he was one hell of a general.  Gorgon gets outright
  terrified at the General's defeat, and orders a general retreat.  However, his
  orders are countermanded by someone whose voice Kouji recognizes quite well:
  Doctor Hell!  Or rather, the Grand Marshal of Hell as he's known now: a
  devoted servant of the ruler of the Mikeene Empire.  Although you defeated
  him back when, his lord granted him new life and a body of iron.  Gorgon
  can't believe what he's seeing even though his men were the ones who
  recovered Hell's corpse.  In short, he's a monster come back from hell for
  revenge on you all.  Your Newtypes can feel the immense Pressure of his rage
  and hatred: he's cast off his human heart along with his body.  Kouji thinks
  it's convenient that this guy has joined the Mikeene: it makes for a nice
  two-birds-one-stone setup.  Hayato figures that this guy is suicidal if he
  thinks he can take you with one machine, no matter how cool it is.  Kouji is
  bound and determined to weight Hell down so much that this time he'll stay
  stuck in Hell.  Unfortunately, it won't be that easy.  He's brought along
  Shin Getter and Mazinkaiser [which your dudes were to LAME to be using from
  the outset!! >_<##].  He wonders if you can actually beat these: the two
  greatest of the so-called demons, but Kouji and Tetsuya tell him that he
  never seems to learn.  Ryou reminds him that those machines only have power
  because of their pilots!  But Hell seems to find this quite funny, which
  doesn't bode well.  What he's done is grabbed the two scientists behind the
  mechs, and made them the pilots.  Both doctors tell you all to retreat for
  now and regroup: if you don't give up hope, you'll surely have a chance to
  win.  Seeing your rage and grief is just what Hell wants, and he tries to
  press his advantage, but Kenzou tells everyone to pull out.  Not only can
  you not win under the dark clouds now hanging over you, but you'll probably
  just kill the profs by mistake as well.  He points out that the lab can be
  rebuilt: but not the human lives in danger.  Your people pull back, and Hell
  muses that killing your people quickly isn't any fun anyway.  As he gloats
  over how much hell he'll make you taste, Gorgon thinks to himself that Hell
  is pretty scary even on the same side of this war...

Hardias has come back from the European front because he could believe the
reports he's heard.  The other generals are in similar disbelief, but
Ulyceasar swears that it's true, apologizing profusely for allowing the General
to be lost.  He tells the Emperor that the General was a warrior to the last,
full of pride even as he fell.  The emperor figures that that's what the
General wanted anyway, and vows not to waste his death.  As the other generals
squabble over who should get the honor of avenging the General's death, Hell
steps up and claims the job as his own.  He is in fact the "trump card" the
emperor spoke of, and tells the other generals to obey him as soon as the
emperor officially delegates him the revenge assignment.  The other generals
have no objections, but Gorgon seems a bit unsure.  When the emperor senses
this, Hell says that Gorgon is an old acquaintance of his, and asks for him as
his second in command.  Gorgon's commander Algos won't object to this, figuring
that Gorgon should love the chance to take revenge.  The emperor orders Hell to
attack the last Japanese stronghold, Big Falcon, using the two devils and all
the other resources at his disposal...


Stage 42. Kyoufu!  Nihon Seiatsu Sakusen - Zenpen ("Terror!  The Japan
Subjugation Operation Part 2")

Miwa is giving it to your guys with both barrels about your (very recent)
string of failures.  Your people don't have much of a rejoinder, except for
Hiroshi, who tells Miwa that if your people are good-for-nothing, he's a total
incompetent.  Kazuya then adds that the retreat was for the good of the to
professors, who Kouji says your people plan to get back, and without any help
from him either.  Miwa expresses doubts that your people can do such a thing
after your string of failures, which Ken'ichi doesn't want to hear that from
someone who gave up the Far East base.  Bright now chimes in, saying that
Miwa's long-running torrents of words don't befit a commander, but Miwa says
that victory is everything; ideals are nothing if you lose.  Kyoushirou says
that Miwa has a point, and Miwa sniffs and goes off to plan countermeasures
against the Mikeene, ordering you all to protect Big Falcon.  He leaves it up
to your discretion if the enemy uses the professors as shields again.  As
Mitchi tries to cheer up the two girls whose fathers' lives are in danger,
Hiroshi asks Tetsuya if Shin Getter and Mazinkaiser are really such fearsome
opponents.  He tells Hiroshi that their potential dwarfs that of Great and
Dragon, and Hayato explains that the technology they're based on can't be
controlled only part-way: if their limiters are off, they'll be totally
unmanageable.  Jun wonders about the weaknesses that let you steal Kaiser back
in the last battle, but Kenzou says that the profs fixed all such weak spots:
he can't think of any "weak spot" worth the name in either machine.  Plus,
there's every chance that Hell has prepared even more unfair trickery: remote
control bombs in the cockpits.  This is looking pretty desperate, and the
question is really: what if you can't halt their movements head-on?  Of course
the enemy attack just then, and Bright orders everyone to their posts.  He
tells you all not to give up, even if Shin Getter and Mazinkaiser are among
your foes.

Your people don't immediately see the two stolen mechs, but you do see
Bardlar, who vows to take revenge for the General.

  Hell and his weapons show up on turn 3.  Hell's not one to put himself in
  danger directly, and decides to watch from elsewhere while his mecha do the
  dirty work.  He's enjoying the curses your people level at him, and informs
  you that he really has set bombs in the cockpit.

  To win the battle, take out the other machines in Shin Getter and
  Mazinkaiser's squads, and reduce them to under 1k HP without killing them.

  When you attack Mazinkaiser, Yumi tells you that now this powerful force of
  good has had its limiter cut and is now the servant of evil, it's only right
  that your people destroy it.  Kouji refuses, saying that his grandfather
  wouldn't be happy to see it destroyed while still on the bad guys' team, and
  vows to both reclaim it and save Yumi's life.

  When you first attack Shin Getter, Saotome cautions Ryou that it's on the
  brink of total riot.  If combat continues, a Getter Ray overload will
  occur: he wants Ryou and them to take Shin Getter out before that happens.
  Ryou tells Saotome that he's even more important to them than Getter, and
  vows to save both him and Getter.

  Unfortunately, once you stop the two mecha, something "unfair" happens.
  Hell merely made it _look_ like the mecha were out of action, and not so he
  could catch you off guard: he wanted to see the look on your faces as the
  victory you thought you had grasped slips through your fingers.  As the
  stolen mecha form up with Hell's group, Kenta says that they're crying,
  shedding tears over being used for evil.  Makoto can hear it too.  Miwa gets
  back on his "just destroy the damn things already" kick, and after a moment
  Tetsuya resolves to actually destroy them, but not on Miwa's orders: he's
  doing it because that's what Yumi would want (and Saotome too, as it turns
  out).  Tetsuya tells the others not to interfere, that this is his role.
  Just at that moment, three Custos units show up, apparently causing Hell to
  lose control of the stolen mecha.  Or rather, it seems that they're moving
  to attack the Custos of their own volition!  Ryou and Kouji take the
  opportunity to grab their respective stolen mecha and try to calm them down.
  The resulting resonance seems to power up the machines you've already got.
  Now that Hell is no longer in control, the professors are asked to retreat
  to the safety of Big Falcon.  Hell is royally pissed at the machines which
  screwed up his plan, and your people plan to pay him back in full for the
  underhanded stuff he's pulled.

  For a Skill Point, take down everything except the Demonica.

  Bardlar is worth a High Performance Targeting System.

  The Grand Marshal of Hell is worth both a Megagenerator and a Super Alloy
  nu-Z.  Gorgon will point out to him that further combat is impossible, and
  Hell furiously retreats, saying that his vengeance isn't yet complete.  Your
  people aren't going to let him get away, and team up for the Final Dynamic
  Special attack.  He still manages to escape, and can probably be counted
  upon for an even more hateful appearance at some point.  The mysterious
  Custos, so helpful in saving the professors, then leave.  Nana thinks they
  may be real servants of God, but Banjou has his doubts.

Cue the happy reunion.  Gai is wondering what magic the Custos used to save
the profs, and Banjou would really rather not believe that it's really the
power of God at work.  Kenzou then explains to Kouji that some near gear
inspired by Kaiser in Mazinger Z seems to have resonated when Kaiser came
close, powering it up.  Of course, Kenzou leaves Kaiser with the Alpha Numbers
too, to use as you see fit.  Meanwhile, Ryou is still scared of Shin Getter,
saying he lacks the confidence to pilot it.  Musashi feels like he learned
something from the Getter Ray bath they all got: he can't explain it like
Saotome could, but he feels like the Getters are trying to guide you.  He can't
say if this is a new evolutionary step or something, but he feels like he wants
to see whatever future Getter is trying to show.  Ryou muses that what both he
and Musashi fear may be the unknown, and then makes his decision.  He wants to
see with his own eyes what Getter is trying to make mankind do, which Hayato
smiles and says is his thoughts exactly.  Benkei and Musashi are in too, and
depending on circumstances the Getters may have to get split up amongst them
all.  Ryou thinks to himself that he believes in whatever future the Getters
have in store...

  You get 2 Propellant Tanks, 2 Cartridges, 2 Repair Kits, and an OVA's
  Croquette.


Stage 43. SUUPAA ROBOTTO Gundan - Ikari no Daihangeki ("The Super Robot Army's
Furious Counterattack")

It's been two weeks since Kincaidu went missing, and even the children's powers
can't locate him.  Maybe he really is dead.  Tobia breaks Vera's reverie by
calling her to the strategy meeting.  Before she goes, she confides to them
that during her childhood on Side 4, there was a hill and lake much like this
one, where Seabook used to take her boating.  Now Vera's recriminations begin
in earnest, as she recounts how when Seabook cast off his real name and vowed
to fight with Vera in her fight against the Jovians, he never told her why.
Even though the two of them had been together in everything she'd done since,
she's beginning to think she wasn't as close to him as she thought.  Tobia
nervously confirms that Kincaidu was Vera's lover: Vera smiles and says that
they did spend one night together, long ago.  However, she's been so busy as a
captain that they haven't had any time together since.  Tobia hadn't meant it
that way, and tells Vera that Cecily Fairchild, her assumed name, is what
Seabook probably thinks of as her "real" name.  This temporarily lifts Vera's
spirits, but as she begins to lapse back into depression Tobia is adamant that
it would take more than this to kill Kincaidu.  Mikoto joins in, telling Vera
to believe in Kincaidu more, and to look forward to the things she's still got
to do.  This finally snaps Vera's funk, and Tobia thinks to himself that
Kincaidu's "stage name" is probably necessary so that after all this is over,
the two of them can return to a normal, quiet life.

It looks like if you add up all the territory the Mikeene have under their
control, it's about a fourth of the Earth.  Tetsuya notes that the Mikeene
forces in the Balmar War were a mere advance brigade compared to this, but
Taiga says that not giving up even in the face of tall odds like this is what
makes humans strong.  There are guerilla forces opposing the Mikeene all over
the globe, which includes the Preventers and other old companions of yours.
Yet other people are chipping in with food and supplies.  Among those
"fighting without weapons" is the group Erika's with, which suitably impresses
Kyoushirou who wasn't sure Erika had that in her.  It seems that Chelindon is
even in on the act.  It's interesting that Zechs is hacking away on the front
lines while his sister is bringing up the rear with humanitarian aide: Hiiro
wills Riliina to continue her fight while he eliminates all your common
enemies.  Anyway, it seems that the Mikeene are fixated on Japan, the most
crucial point on Earth [of course ^^;;;], not in the least because you took
down the General.  The strategy will therefore be to liberate the rest of Japan
and raise the lantern of victory to embolden the hearts of others elsewhere on
Earth.  Volfogg has even found the enemy's forward base: the underground void
left by the surfacing of Machineland: in Osaka.  This of course upsets Juuzou,
who's from there...  Synapse then explains what the plan will be.  Starting at
1000 tomorrow, all the Federation bases in Japan will begin a simultaneous
revolt.  When the enemy HQ sends troops to quell it, your people will strike
the depleted force at 1500.  This is the same plan you used when the Photon
Power lab was attacked during the Balmar War.  Hiroshi likes this plan as one
suitable for turning the tables this drastically, and Ryou is looking forward
to taking the terror other people have been made to feel and ramming it down
the bad guys' throats.  Sakon has fortified the Taikuu Maryuu's defenses, and
the other flagships are to hold back and attack any escaping bad guys.  The
concern is raised that it may be dangerous for only a single flagship to enter
the enemy base, and Vera has the chance to choose which role to assist with.

  If you choose for her to go to, your forces will be divided in two.  If not,
  you'll get a single force.

If you have her go along, everyone is happy to see that the blues are now
gone.
 In any case, this hard battle is your chance to really stick it to the bad
guys and get momentum back.

The bad guys get word of the human revolt, and Hell resolves to head north to
quell the fighting.  He leaves Gorgon in charge of the base, giving him
Hardias and his men to help out.  Gorgon is grateful for this important
assignment, and Hell tells him that he hasn't forgotten the debt he owes Gorgon
from the time he was human.  Gorgon is still concerned about what would happen
if the humans attack while the defenses are thin, and Hell promises to leave
him a trump card should the need arise for its use.  As he promises to fulfill
his military duty, Gorgon is thinking that fate hasn't entirely abandoned him,
though Hell's silence may portend something different...

As the Alpha Numbers spring their plan, Gorgon is smart enough to realize what
has happened... but not smart enough to call for assistance, fearing that that
would make him a laughingstock.  He orders Hardias into action, figuring that
he could rise even higher if he stops your people here.  As your battleship(s)
enter, your people sortie and you confirm that the other battleships are ready
outside.  Hardias isn't going to let your people just walk over his army, and
Gorgon is quickly getting into bossing people around, including Ikima and the
crew.

  For a Skill Point, take out Hardias within six turns.  Good play can do
  this easily within four.

  Mimashi is worth a Solar Panel.  Ikima is worth a Super Alloy Z.  Amaso is
  worth an Apogee Motor.  Hardias is worth a Biocomputer.

When Hardias gets defeated, Gorgon berates him for his incompetence.  Hardias
tells him to shut up, saying that noone would want to fight under _his_
command.  He then pulls out, pissing off Gorgon even more and making him
decide to come out in person.  All this really earns him is some nifty trash
talking at the hands of your dudes.

  Once you wound Gorgon past a certain point, he decides to use the trump card
  Hell left for him.  He pushes the switch that should mean the end of you
  all.  Unfortunately, even Gorgon doesn't know what the switch does!  A
  projection of Hell shows up, asking Gorgon if he's had his fun.  He explains
  that this is in fact the plan to wipe out the intruders: taking out the
  two pillars that support this cavern will cause the entire base to be plunged
  into the depths of the Earth.  Gorgon protests that that would bury him alive
  too, and Hell says that such a grave would be far too good for him.  Hell
  hasn't forgotten Gorgon's actions in the final battle: ALL of them.  Hasn't
  forgotten how Gorgon disappeared from the battlefield without warning, and
  how Hell's own forces collapsed without Gorgon's support.  Kouji and Tetsuya
  aren't the only objects of Hell's revenge: Gorgon is included too!  Gorgon
  barely gets to protest that Algos ordered him to do so when Hell tells him
  to lodge his protest in front of Brocken in Perdition.  The missile to deal
  the final blow appears, and although Vera orders her own people to get in
  its way, noone can reach it.  Just then, a new mech appears, piloted by a
  certain person with a bandage over one side of his face who wrecks the
  missile to shreds.  Your people are glad to see him and demand to know why
  he didn't contact you: it's a simple matter of being unconscious for 34.5
  days. ^^;;;  Hell is undeterred, saying that there's quite a few more
  missiles left where that came from.  He tells Gorgon that if he wants to be
  forgiven, he'd better defeat the Alpha Numbers.

  Gorgon is worth Zolmanium Armor.  He can't believe that your people can
  defeat him, but Kouji says that it's only natural: there's no way a villain
  like him can win.  Gorgon is sure his emperor will take revenge for him,
  given how legendary he is as the emperor of hell and all.  Hiroshi's not
  pleased to hear about this, hearing from Gorgon what Himika did with her
  final strength.  As he dies, Gorgon tells you to write in your fear...  The
  place is in fact about to collapse, and everyone flees on the double.

Vera and Kincaidu have their tearful reunion.  Britto figures he should take
lessons on how to support his partner through thick and thin like that, and
Viletta tells him that Kusuha can fight plenty well with him by her side.
She's seen very well with her own eyes that it's thanks to him that the
Choukijin recovered their former powers...

Kincaidu's survival is thanks to him using his Beam Shield to reenter instead
of the usual Waverider approach (this has happened before).  He's feeling
pretty lucky to be alive given what he and his mech endured, although he notes
in amusement that his scar makes him look more piratical.  The Preventers
helped nurse him and his mech back to health, and Hayato has sent something of
a care package along.

  If you met the conditions, you now get the ZZ's Full Armor Parts, which
  apparently Chelindon chipped in to the war effort.  Guess she was more taken
  with Judou and Tobia than it at first seemed.

  If you met the conditions, the Hi-nu Gundam is also included, built on the
  data from Amuro's nu-Gundam and the mass-production types.  Amuro is glad to
  see that October worked so hard, but Chain has heard a disturbing rumor: a
  new machine ordered from Anaheim from the Neo-Jion side.  Looks like Char
  wants himself a better mech as well.

  This is also where you'd get the GP-02, if you fulfilled the conditions.

  And ALSO where you get the Heavy Weapon System for the nu-Gundam (albeit
  unheralded).

  Overall, you get 2 Propellant Tanks, 2 Cartridges, 2 Repair Kits, a Super
  Repair Kit, a Cecily's Break, a Victory Feast, a Mass Production nu-Gundam
  with optional Fin Funnels, and so forth.


Stage 44. Kotaeyo, ORUFAN ("Answer, Orphan")

Kernagul is telling Kuttner how good of a sweat he worked up fighting the
Mikeene in Africa.  Bundorl begins to chastise him for not understanding how
important this fight is: to the winner, goes the blue orb of the Earth.  And
to the loser, endless despair and ruin - what could be more beautiful.
Kuttner ignores the poetry and notes that the economics of conflict are
certainly beautiful to the Docougar, especially all-out war.  Neo Neros then
reminds them that dominating the world's economy isn't their only goal: the
theft of the Beamlar is the Docougar's true objective.  Bundorl hasn't
forgotten about this, and reports that Professor Jeter is almost done with a
radar that can actually track the Beamlar... and the Good Thunder along with
it.  Neo Neros says there's not enough time for that, and Bundorl then offers
to lure the Good Thunder out of hiding instead.  Kuttner asks what stealing the
Beamlar will get the Docougar, and Bundorl agrees, saying that teleportation
has already been brought to fruition... surely the Good Thunder's power isn't
wholly taken up by that.  Neo Neros cuts them short, telling them that they
merely have to obey his orders, asking if they've got any complaints as they
stare back in silence.
 The three don't _precisely_ disagree, so long as their individual personality
quirks are being satisfied.  As Neo Neros hangs up, Kernagul demands to know
how the hell Bundorl intends to lure the Good Thunder out - Bundorl apparently
thought his plan up while Kernagul was out rampaging in Africa.  He says that
everything revolves around the Beamlar and the goddess who is in contact with
it, and gets irritated when the poetry of this is lost on Kernagul.  He
decides he doesn't care quickly though, and tells Kernagul to go for broke
when carrying out the plan.

Hayato is still okay, and the war seems to be going better now that word of
the Alpha Numbers' deeds is spreading.  Unfortunately, the problems that
threaten the world's peoples aren't just military: inflation and other economic
ills are proving rather obnoxious too, which seem to be the work of some cabal
manipulating things behind the scenes.  This would be the Docougar, and Bright
is pissed that someone could be so self-centered in times like this.  He gets
even less thrilled when Hayato tells your people that the Docougar have
actually deployed their warpower in North America.  Beltorchika has the
report, and should be with your people any moment now barring flight problems.
Lest the people fall into trepidation, Banjou figures your people should meet
the Docougar's considerable warpower head on.  As Beltorchika's plane arrives,
Taiga tells your people to be ready to dispatch against the Docougar if need
be.

Beltorchika has it from a "reliable source" that the Docougar are after Orphan.
 Remy is openly skeptical that the Docougar would let their plans be known so
easily, and Beltorchika tells your people to question that source yourselves:
it's a woman named Isabelle Cronkite, a journalist.  As the Goshogun team start
bantering about this new arrival, she seems to know their identity already from
her father Art's notes on the Docougar, his life long journalistic obsession.
Her story is that she's here to do a story on you all in your fight against the
Docougar, hoping to thereby further turn the world against them.  Amuro takes a
little persuading to go along with this, but finally accedes to help this
non-combat form of fighting against the enemy.  She requests that the Goshogun
team be the ones to look after her while she does her reporting, claiming to
have been taken with them ever since seeing her father's files.  They
hesitantly (or eagerly, in Kiry's case) agree to this.

Kiry is working on his autobiography (and failing spectacularly) when Akari
and Kumazou bring Isabelle to his room unannounced.  She claims that noone out
of the assortment of great interview prospects on the team consented to give
her an interview.  She then manages to see the draft of the autobiography, and
gushes about the fabled "Bronx Wolf"'s ongoing fight for justice.  Kiry tells
her what he, the Bronx Wolf, wants: either for her to leave right now, or to
stay and enjoy some "morning coffee" with him [this being Japanese innuendo
for hitting the sack with him in the meantime].  The kiddies are just young
enough to not know what this means.  It _appears_ that Isabelle agrees...

Vera commends Irene on her transition to full-fledged captain.  Irene gives
all the thanks to the crew.  This is of course because Anoir is still missing.
She explains that Orphan surfaced at the same time as the asteroid drop.  Kant
is on the scene as well, and tells a rather skeptical Yuu that his theory
about Orphan being good for the world has turned into a conviction now that
he's been aboard the Organic Energy-powered Novus Noa.  He shows a course of
Orphan's movements since surfacing, leading to it surfacing in Eurasia.  It
seems to be heading for Rasa in Tibet, the very spot where the Neo-Jion
asteroid fell.  Kant is sure that Orphan is trying to heal the damaged Earth,
and sure enough all kinds of greenery has sprouted up vigorously in its wake.
Shishiou notes that Orphan's boosting of Organic Energy seems undeniable, and
Kant thinks that Orphan's flight is surely not a negative for the world.  Yuu
seems unconvinced, but when Hime reminds him about how his and Nelly's Brains
merged, he realizes that not everything about the Earth's problems and Orphan
is a negative.  Both of them reach the (totally illogical) conclusion that,
because their Brains can fly, everything will be alright in the end.  Shishiou
and Irene would both like to believe in this conclusion as well, and Irene
figures that the thing to do now is to remove the Reclaimers from Orphan, since
Orphan's safety is now evident - the idea is that Orphan should be treated as
as much a part of nature as the mountains and seas.  Vera and your people then
resolve to go to Orphan, to see it, and the Earth's future, with their own
eyes.

Your people are shocked at the sight of Orphan, a mountain-sized object many
times larger than a colony.  You can detect nothing else besides you and
Orphan in the area - apparently you got here before the Docougar.  Hime points
out all the flowers growing near Orphan: looks like it really is healing the
world and stuff.  Just then, out come the Reclaimers, including Jonathan's new
white Antibody.  Your Brain pilots can feel his madness from here.  Synapse
broadcasts to the Reclaimers that your people have come here to talk, and asks
them to respond.  Jonathan amusedly asks why the Governor doesn't respond
already - could it be that he is hesitating to fight his former comrades? The
Governor, apparently Gaybridge, says that your people's way of doing things
can't save the future - that's why he's returned to Orphan.  Yuu's grandmother
is there too, feeling sorry for Yuu and Hime.  Synapse, receiving no response,
orders your people to sortie.  Isabelle is quite happy to have this chance to
report on the mysterious Orphan, and Beltorchika tells Isabelle to get a scoop
that'll tell the whole world what Orphan is really all about.  Synapse warns
the Granger once more to respond; if not, he'll have no choice but to attack.
It's then revealed that Gaybridge is the Governor, the leader of the Reclaimers
and controller of Orphan.  This greatly upsets Hime, and Synapse asks one
question: why didn't Gaybridge consult your people before doing this.  He says
that such a conversation would have been futile: your approach will never let
mankind get through to the next stage.  Just then the Newtypes start feeling a
pressure that rivals Char's, which Gaybridge muses over.  He says that the
notion of moving mankind to the heavens to renew them isn't mistaken, though he
can't agree with Char's method of destroying the Earth in the process.
Apparently he's decided that people don't always get their way - he figures
that at least with the power of Orphan he can change society.  Your people
demand to know if Gaybridge means to make the Earth a planet of death - and
whether Orphan itself would want that.  He then commands the Grangers to attack
and to wipe out your people, since your strong will gives humanity hope.  Naoko
demands to know what Gaybridge thinks life is, to which he replies that this is
the only way to clear the eyes of mankind who blindly believes in culture.  He
asks her if she thinks he _wants_ this role, and tells her that he's never
changed: he's always wanted to revolutionize society.  And if that requires
mass murder, he's prepared to bear the blame for it (if he hasn't already taken
it).  He says that Orphan's actions so far have led toward mankind's
destruction, but he doubts Orphan means to wipe out all life entirely.  He had
wanted Naoko at least to comprehend his feelings.  Naoko [for no apparent
reason] says that she'll say no more, and not part from his side.  As Synapse
tries to decide what to do, Hime asks him to let her talk to Orphan.
 She's sure that what Gaybridge just said is merely him being selfish, and the
psychic kiddies agree (having snuck aboard the Goshogun).  Shingo points out
to them that what they want to talk to is a _mountain_, if not an entire
_island_, but Yuu agrees with what the kiddies (who are swarming all over) have
said.  If what Gaybridge has said is indeed the will of Orphan, Gondor will see
it done [JA NAKUTE! ^^;;] your people will have to destroy it.  But maybe Hime
and the others can negotiate[?!] with it.  You've basically got to get Yuu and
the Goshogun to the illuminated boxes.  Rasse for his part tells Kanan that he
won't do anything rash in escorting them: he wants to live with her too.
Gaybridge is okay with this fight being broadcast to the world, figuring the
world will get to see the last of the Alpha Numbers, but Max tells them not to
underestimate you.  Gaybridge seems to have some plan up his sleeve...

  On 1.5, Kenta asks why Irui is trembling - is she frightened of Orphan?
  She asks him what he intends to do when he meets hit.  He happily says that
  he hasn't thought about it... but if feels like Orphan has been calling your
  people.  As though it wants to tell you something, as a friend.  On 2.0,
  Isabelle who hasn't been in real combat before is very grateful for Kiry's
  gallant vow to protect her.  The Goshogun crew have to tell her that, no,
  they're not heros from some sci-fi movie, although the rest of your team
  may be.  The explain that they got into this line of work to flee from their
  past... and with the world like this, what _can_ they do but fight?  This
  doesn't make Isabelle happy, since it turns out her parents were both
  killed by the Docougar and beneath all that journalistic vigor she wants
  some vengeance.  She denies this, sticking to the "allies of justice" angle,
  but the Docougar crew tells her not to stress herself out.  People fight
  for many reasons - and for every person like them who fight to put food on
  the table, someone out there truly fights for their ideals.  And that would
  include the Alpha Numbers.  Isabelle seems downcast about this, but Shingo
  tells her not to worry: since she's spilled her guts to the Goshogun crew,
  they plan to help her until the very end.  This gets her spirits back up,
  and the battle proceeds.

  Once you get close enough to Orphan, the Docougar show up and immediately
  start quarreling over how to take it over and lure out the Good Thunder in
  the process.  Isabelle is dutifully reporting this to the world.  Synapse
  tries to tell Gaybridge that he's got bigger problems to deal with than
  fighting with you, but Gaybridge doesn't see any big difference between your
  two sides.  He tells you that he'll begin the final assault in five turns
  and orders his men to keep the Grangers away from Orphan.  Yuu says you
  can't pull out now: you've just got to force your way through.  NOTE THAT
  you can do this on the very first turn by using the Reawakening spell.  You
  probably don't want to however...  This event will happen by itself on turn
  three in any case.

  You've now got five turns to get Hime and the Goshogun to the spots.  For a
  Skill Point, take down both Kuttner and Jonathan in the process.

  Shiela is worth a Multisensor.  Quincy is worth a Psychoframe.

  When you take down Kernagul the first time, he comes back with full health,
  just like a wild animal.  The Goshogun team figure they aren't going to risk
  tangling with him, and resolve to finish their mission first, like the pros
  they are.

  * In fact, Kuttner seems to infinitely regenerate his HP.  You can keep
    killing him time and again until the mission is over.  READ: INFINITE
    MONEY AND XP that you don't have to restart the map to get! ^_^

  Four of the enemies have a Kuttneriser.

  Jonathan is worth a Biocomputer.  He intends to continue fighting, but Max
  tells him that now is not the time for him to lay down his life.

  Kuttner is worth a High Powered Radar.  He decides to exercise the better
  part of valor, and bugs out.

When your people reach Orphan, they're overawed by it: Hime says that it's as
big and as intrinsic as the clouds and sky and sun.  Yuu says that it looks
totally different than when it was on the bottom of the ocean, and Hime is
sure that this is a goddess, one which dons wings and flies throughout space.
Yuu can't disagree with that assessment, though he inwardly thinks that Hime
may be the goddess here at this rate.  Hime then calls out to Orphan (in a
very pedestrian fashion too!), asking it if there isn't something wrong with
the fighting between your two sides.

Kernagul gets even more pissed off watching (nope, he's _still_ not dead) this,
and despite Kuttner's objections fires his secret weapon: several nuclear
missiles!  Kuttner is aghast, and Kernagul tells him to get his ass out of the
way less he get caught in the blast too.  The Reclaimer staffers watch as
nuclear Armageddon flies their way: Gaybridge expects Orphan to get damaged but
to be still capable of space flight.  Furthermore, he plans to use this event
to his advantage: he has Isami hack into Isabelle's broadcast gear and makes
the proclamation to the world that YOUR people are the villains who have
launched an unprovoked nuclear strike against them.  Kuttner, not wanting to
be used as propaganda, orders Kernagul to cancel the strike - unfortunately,
the missiles can't be stopped that rapidly.  Yuu figures that the Reclaimers
are confident they can withstand that strike... but the land around Orphan will
get ravaged.  As Hime and the kids here Orphan and the surrounded, Yuu makes a
decision.  He orders Rasse and Nanga into a triangle formation, planning to
use Chakra power to halt the blast.  Amuro has everyone take cover behind the
Chakra Triangle, and Rasse protests that with just three of them the can't
cover all the nukes.  They don't have much choice but to try anyway, and Yuu
has everyone spread out wider to cover Hime and the rest.  Just then, three
Reclaimers show up, prepared to bury the hatchet and help out with what turns
into a Chakra Hexagram.  It turns out that Jonathan is helping because,
although he recognizes the Governor's plan to murder the Alpha Number's public
image, he doesn't feel like letting the Governor have his way.

The Brain pilots are having a very strange experience.  Quincy is even crying.
Hime then meets a little girl, who she tries to coax out of the "lonely box"
inside which people can do nothing but cry.  As the girl brightens at Hime's
name, she tells Hime that she's been waiting for her a very long time.  Hime
realizes that this gentle Orphan would never do anything to harm the Earth, and
is shown a vision of _two_ Orphans fighting.  One of them falls to Earth, and
the other one's whereabouts are unknown.  The Brains and Grangers turn out to
be the children of the two Orphans.  She thanks Orphan for this revelation, and
tells it that it's no shame to be lonely.

She wakes up at GGG headquarters, having been carried here by her Brain.
Apparently the power of the Chakra Hexagram literally stopped the missiles:
they simply halted in midair and fell to the ground unexploded.  The footage
of this has labeled the Alpha Numbers as saviors of Orphan, and the Docougar,
now seen as villains, were forced to flee.  Hime says that Orphan promised to
treasure the thoughts and feelings of those living on the Earth, and it turns
out that everyone who was there felt for a moment some connection with Orphan.
Even the robots felt some strange connection with Orphan's main computer, and
according to Amuro the whole thing was much like the way Newtypes can feel
each other's hearts.  This is not to say that Orphan has been labeled "safe",
and Yuu certainly doesn't want to see Gaybridge have his way.  Both your people
and Orphan itself will have to give it their all... and in fact, Orphan seems
to have started already, by beginning to rise!

Amuro sees Beltorchika to near the closest city, where the two mean to part
ways.  She notes that Amuro is very kind to her, and wonders if this is how he
treats Chain as well.  She knows that his duel with Char comes first right
now, but tells him not to forget that the one to shoot down Amuro Rei will be
neither the Red Meteor nor Chain, but she herself.  Amuro will remember that.
The Goshogun crew say goodbye to Isabelle too, congratulating her on showing
the evil deeds of the Docougar to the world.  She plans to use her journalistic
skills to continue fighting everything that threatens humanity even though her
revenge is complete - this time, it'll be for her herself.  Kiry promises to
give her his memoirs if he lives through the war, which Remy realizes is much
more serious than Kiry usually gets...


Stage 45. BIMURAA no Ishi ("The Will of the Beamlar")

Some great, fiery presence is addressing its Shrine Maiden, who just happens to
be Irui [anyone who this surprises, raise their hands].  It calls her its child
and tells her to awaken: she, God's child and inheritor of his strong will.  It
directs her to come to Paral, the Promised Land, and Irui gets a brief moment
of the No-Pupil effect before... waking up from her dream.

Neo Neros is not terribly thrilled that Kernagul and Kuttner attacked Orphan,
and Bundorl even less so.  Neo Neros will let it slide, however, since it
worked to his advantage in the end: the Good Thunder has in fact emerged.
Apparently this confirms Isami's theory, and as long as the Beamlar ends up in
Docougar hands.  Also, Neo Neros figures that he now knows what Savalas is up
to: he sent the Goshogun to the Alpha Numbers so that he could distract Neo
Neros from finding out about the "Soul".  He orders Bundorl to meet up at once
with Kuttner and Kernagul and steal the Good Thunder and, in the process, kill
off Shinda Kenta.  Bundorl is rather surprised to be given such an order, and
figures that Kenta must be somehow connected to this "Soul" business.

Meanwhile, Kiry is freezing his ass off as your people travel to meet the Good
Thunder.  Remy isn't willing to "warm him up", saying that Isabelle would
never let either of them live it down.  The Good Thunder is stuck out here as
usual because once it teleports it can't move again for a while.  Juuzou
comments that all your people's coming and going is getting to be like a game
of Whack-a-Mole, and Shingo hopes that sooner or later octopus-head will pop up
so you can beat the game.  Remy hopes that calling Savalas that won't decrease
their fee, and and Shingo hopes that the only thing that decreases around here
is Kiry's luck with women.  Kenta figures that maybe you've been summoned
because it's finally time to find out about the Beamlar, and this makes OVA
strangely sad, though she hurries off to prepare dinner before the others can
say much.

Elsewhere, Kusuha is hard at work trying to perfect her nutritional drink.
Retzer obligingly tastes the concoction, which has lemon juice, tomato juice,
and _balsamic_vinegar_ in it.  He warns her that any normal person would
positively faint from something like this, and Kazuya wonders what the heck
she's doing.  Yuu cautions that there are some things in this world best left
unknown, and then notices as OVA comes in that she seems to be depressed.  It
seems that Yuu has actually acquired some of the same sensitivity that Hime
and the kiddies have, possibly thanks to Nelly.  Yuu, rather
uncharacteristically, gently presses OVA to tell everyone what's wrong, and OVA
eventually confides that she feels like Kenta is going to leave her soon.  As
your people ponder the feelings of impending empty-nest syndrome, Retzer points
out that seen from the other direction, these feelings are proof that Kenta is
growing up.  OVA is feeling better, but as Britto rushes in, Kusuha starts
feeling worse: Irui has collapsed again.

Irui seems to be okay now, having just woken up.  She apologizes for all the
commotion, and says that she had a dream about her mother, or at least about
hearing what she thinks is her mother's voice.  Unfortunately, she can't
recall what it said, and she somewhat anxiously asks if Kusuha will stay with
her forever.  Kusuha promises to stay by her side and protect her always, as
does Britto.  This makes Irui very happy, but she subsides into sleep again.
As your people decide to let her sleep, the alarm goes off and your people are
ordered to battle stations in preparation for the rendezvous with the Big
Thunder.

The Alpha Numbers won't arrive for several turns, and Savalas will have to
hold out until then.  Bundorl gushes over the beauty of the Good Thunder
sinking into an abyss of white despair at the end of its long voyage, and his
two counterparts want to ask him something before the battle: how will he take
responsibility for the messy battle that Bundorl's previous plan got them into?
He points out to them that the only reason they found the Good Thunder is
because of the attack on Orphan - Bundorl's plan was, ultimately, successful.
Kernagul bitches that his forces took a hell of a beating, and Bundorl
patiently explains that that's why he's lending a hand now - and without much
thanks, he might add.  Kernagul still isn't satisfied, and Bundorl says that
he'll settle for protecting the Docougar base: Kuttner and Kernagul can go get
all the glory.  He tells them to hurry, saying that time is more precious than
diamonds... but it seems that all this chit-chat has frittered those diamonds
away!  Both the Goshogun and Docougar people trade silly banter until the
actual battle ensues.  Bundorl is overcome by the beauty of your people's
charge, but Kuttner rightly notes that your people are going to be very tough
to beat.  Bundorl responds that the beautiful should fight the beautiful, and
cues the music while sending forth his Doshards.  These have a tricolor paint
job and facial antenna... they look a lot like Gunda- and Nina won't let Kou
finish the statement [maybe this is to avoid the curse that anyone who has ever
said "Look, it's a Gundam!" in battle has died messily...] As the Goshogun team
readies for battle, Savalas cautions them that they can't use Goflasher right
now: the reason for which will become clear in a few turns.

  On turn two, Penchinon and a bunch of Zondar show up, aiming for the Beamlar.
  Primada is there too, saying that the energy that allows organic lifeforms
  to evolve must not be allowed to exist.  Savalas will tell everyone what
  this means when the fight is over.  The Goshogun team resolve themselves to
  the fight for now, but Banjou cautions that if the Beamlar is acting as
  bait, there may be other dangerous foes still lurking behind the scenes...

  This battle will be over on turn 7.  Destroy all enemies before then for a
  Skill Point.

  On 2.5, Jeter calls up Kernagul and says that he's already sent in the new
  mech that he'd ordered.  Whatever this new robot is, it's in shockingly bad
  taste according to Bundorl, including its drunken color scheme, unoriginal
  design, and meaningless decorations.  Primada loves the thing for all those
  very same reasons...  Kernagul is very proud of his anti-Goshogun, the
  Gonagul, though the Goshogun team are less than thrilled (but at least
  they're big enough to have imitators now!).

  Bundorl is worth an A Adaptor.  When you kill him off, who should appear
  but Kolos!  Of course, they're after the Beamlar too (so that Kolos can make
  Don's dream come true), and of course Banjou and your people aren't having
  it.  The Zondar are overjoyed to see Kolos, someone similar to themselves.

  If you have Banjou fight Kolos, she tells him that she hasn't changed in
  these three years: she exists only to fulfill Don's dream.  She won't tell
  Banjou whether or not Don is alive though, on the principle that Banjou is
  about to die anyway.

  Kolos is worth an Auxiliary GS Ride.  She orders all her troops to pull out,
  saying any further losses will damage their future plans.  As Banjou prepares
  to not let her escape, she asks him if he really thinks that the humans are
  the chosen of the Beamlar.  Surely, none but the Meganoids are its chosen
  ones.

Bundorl commends your people on your beautiful victory, but cautions that the
moment you're drunk on your victory toast will be the moment your lives end.
He sends forth another vehicle, which scores a direct hit on the residential
block.  Just then some kind of earthquake begins, and Savalas asks Father to
prepare to receive the Beamlar.  It receives this strange energy that seems to
have a mind of its own - your people are astonished, and Bundorl is overcome.
Strangely, Getter just responded to the Beamlar, and Savalas tells Shingo that
he can use Goflasher now.  This is what Shingo has been waiting for, and he
uses it to wipe out the upstart bad guy... or tries to anyway.  You hit, but
did nothing, and Kenta can sense something inside that robot, though he can't
make out the words.  It's saying "no, I don't want to fight, I wasn't born for
fighting... I'd rather die than fight".  The mech then appears to self-destruct
but tells Kenta to have Shingo fire the Goflasher once more.  Shingo, rattled,
complies, and the powerplant of the Docougar base begins to go berserk.  Noone
has any idea what's going on, although Bundorl says it _is_ clear that their
base is about to meet its end.  As the Docougar flee, Penchinon notes that the
Beamlar seems to have lent its power to the Goshogun - this energy which
furthers maturation and evolution is even more dangerous than he thought.  He's
smart enough to realize that he needs to report this to Pasdar ASAP...

Kenta's father then tells your people what's really going on with the Beamlar,
what its "will" is.  Ryou is observant enough to know that the Beamlar is
sentient energy, and Shinda adds that it's an energy which has existed within
the Earth since long before the dawn of human civilization.  Shishiou wants to
know what the objective of this sentient energy is, and Shinda says that it
wants the evolution of life forms.  In that sense, it's very similar to Getter
Rays - and therefore Shinda figures that it, like the Getter Rays, comes from
space.  Which means that the evolutionary goal it's steering life towards is
sufficient sentience to venture out into space.  The teleportation it makes
possible is surely a facet of that.  Kenta doesn't understand how space travel
equals evolution, but Shinda says that the various sentient life forms in the
universe can't really be said to evolve if they're stuck on their own planet.
It's only by venturing through the vastness of space, meeting each other,
overcoming challenges, and achieving coexistence that true evolution can occur.
 Banjou realizes that the Meganoids' ultimate goal is heading out into space,
which is why they want the Beamlar.  Amuro wants to know, if evolution is
pointed at venturing into space, i.e. freeing souls from gravity, whether the
appearance of Newtypes is also thanks to the Beamlar.  Shinda says that the
Beamlar cannot currently effect evolution on that wide a scale: it's just one
of the forms of energy affecting life, just like the Getter Rays that heralded
the rise of the mammals.  This also explains why the Beamlar and Orphan
influence each other: both of them are geared towards flight in space.  Hime
hopes this sort of cooperation produces good results, and Yuu wonders if the
Beamlar is the "great being" that Nelly spoke of.  Shinda tells Camille that
the Beamlar became active _now_ in response to the series of dire threats to
Earth [as in, the previous few games].  Shinda built the Goshogun and Good
Thunder in obedience with the Beamlar's will, and tells Kenta that he too is
an inheritor of its will.

So, Kenta like Mamoru is a crucial key to events.  It turns out that in sync
with Kenta's maturation, the Beamlar too has matured (and powered up Goflasher
in the process)... which means that the Docougar mech had actually been granted
its own will by the Beamlar.  THIS takes your people some time to digest.  The
fact that Kenta can hear all the voices of nature is further proof that he's
progressing as the incarnate form of the Beamlar, the "Soul".  That power was
what woke up the will of the enemy mecha, and is also what apparently roused
the Docougar power plant to go nuts.  Unfortunately, until the Beamlar wakes up
fully, you can't count on what happened today recurring.  Kenta asks his father
what he should do now, and Shinda says that the Beamlar will mature in synch
with him.  He's got to keep a correct heart and continue to walk with the Alpha
Numbers - if so, the Beamlar will surely grant its power to mankind, and the
day when Kenta's true journey as Soul will come.  Shinda will stay with the
Good Thunder and help Savalas act as a decoy.

The bad news is that Irui is gone, apparently around the time of the Docougar
attack.  Your people searched but can't find her anywhere: the odds are that
she left of her own accord.  Hime wonders if she's gone off in search of this
"mother" she heard in her dream, and Yuu notes that it's very weird that she
wouldn't say anything to the rest of your people first.  Kusuha now gets back
in with the self-recriminations, but Britto says that Irui surely didn't hate
being with her, else she wouldn't have made that promise.  Unfortunately, you
can't stay here any longer lest you suffer another Docougar attack, so Quatro
has his men look for her again.  Neither Kusuha nor Britto are very happy at
this stage...

Neo Neros is getting the postmortem from his men.  Hearing how Beamlar can
animate inanimate objects, he wants the stuff more than ever.  He finally steps
into the light, and tells the three of them that the next battle will probably
be the final one.  The three of them vow to win next time and obtain the
Beamlar for him, and Neo Neros figures he's the only person on Earth worthy to
control the stuff.

The Custos seems to be running out of original lines, telling Irui that it's
the Guardian of Earth and calling once again for the Many Swords to gather
unto it.  It tells Irui that her power exists for it, and its power exists for
her.

  You get an OVA's Croquette and a Kenta's Pocket Computer.


Stage 46.

Daimoji tells your people that the war with the Mikeene is stalemated, which
is better than what it used to be.  Guerilla activity is to thank, but Bright
says that the longer things are allowed to drag on, the more time Neo-Jion
will gain.  Unfortunately, now is not yet the time to leave the Earth with the
Docougar, Zondar, and Meganoid problems still lingering.  You need to wipe out
at least one of these organizations all the way to the roots, that is, its
leadership.  Daimoji has some information about the Mikeene: this Great
Emperor of the dark turns out to be what the Jama called the Emperor of Hell.
Moreover, Shiba has found some old inscriptions regarding the Mikeene.  This
would mean that now is a great time to strike the Mikeene, except that they
still have a hell of a lot of warpower at their main base.  Synapse says that
it's probably better to show up in Japan, especially since Miwa has requested
your presence at a strategy conference that's going on.  The reason you never
heard of this important event is simply because Miwa gathered all his
sympathizers to hear his baseless ranting.  Some of your professor friends are
in attendance to try to reign him in, but they probably can't do much.  On the
other hand, returning to Japan may bring you useful information.  Looks like
you've got to choose between returning to Japan and attacking the Mikeene main
base.

  Japan is the J numbers, and Mikeene is the M numbers.  I should note that
  the choice you make here will have lingering effects all the way until the
  final battle.  Although you must eventually take down all the major enemies,
  the timing and circumstances of them will be significantly different...

Stage 46J. Dai-Toukyou, Shoumetsu - Zenpen ("Greater Tokyo, Annihilated - Part
1")

Your people decide that it's better to pool information about this Emperor of
the Dark than to rush in headlong.  Besides, your people would really love to
stop Miwa's rampage.  Just then, word comes in from Taiga that Tokyo is under
full-scale Zondar attack.  The commanders order their ships to make for Japan
with all possible speed...

Starting at 9am, a wall of light abruptly appeared around Tokyo Tower.  This
has put 23 wards, or almost all of Tokyo, into Zondar hands in an instant.
You can't even tell if the people inside are alive or dead, and that includes
the "conference" Miwa was holding.  Apparently the circular wall of light
follows the highways and rail lines that ring the area, and the area around it
is filled with ZO particles: anything that gets near will be Zondarized.
Taiga figures this is the Zondar's final operation, and only the Alpha Numbers
can stop it!  Bright vows to do this even if it kills you all, and Synapse
urges speed in the interest of saving any of the people who are left in the
area.

Your people are dismayed by the sight of Tokyo being eaten by machines whose
malice is palpable.  The center of this desperately-recorded footage is Tokyo
Tower, where some people are trapped inside.  And lo and behold, Makoto's
friends are among them! [natch]  Taiga will allow Makoto to come along on the
operation, but asks for his power in return.  The plan is to attack Tokyo Tower
from two directions, with the Eastern squadron based around Gai's group.  Hime
momentarily protests Makoto going along, but is persuaded that he's no longer a
child but rather one of your full-fledged companions: one who chose this fight
by themself.  Taiga will personally command this operation, and your people
head out.

Pasdar tells his four generals that the time has come for them to push their
powers to the fullest.  Pizza reports that Boronezu and Primada have already
begun preparations to build a Plant.  He and Penchinon are prepared to fight
directly if the accursed remnants of Cain show up.  Pazdar figures that if the
Beamlar really did choose this planet, it's necessary to Zondarize all life
forms without delay.  Pizza is pretty sure he can take your people out.

Your people deploy, appalled at what was once Tokyo.  Yuu notes that this area
must be crawling with Zondar the way the Brains are reacting.  There are so
many in fact that the Z-sensors are useless, but Makoto can sense a presence
far more horrible than anything before, centered at Tokyo Tower.  Shishiou
asks if Taiga remembers the incident from two years ago, and Taiga says that
there's no way he could forget: this nightmare you face now started back then.
There's a high likelihood that what you face now is EI-01, which slashed down
near Yokohama and then disappeared somewhere underground.  Just then the bad
guys emerge in large numbers: large enough numbers that it takes your people a
while to muster their reserves.  The bad news is that this is only the advance
guard: the Four Celestial Lords of Machinery aren't here yet.  Gai leads your
people on a hack-n-slash campaign to reach Tokyo Tower as Taiga urges you on:
the ten million residents of Tokyo and indeed everyone on Earth is depending on
your performance here.

  For a Skill Point, clear the map within seven turns by moving one of your
  units to Tokyo Tower.  You can in fact beat this map in *three* turns.

  The bad guy leaders show up after you do enough damage to the robots.  They
  taunt you with the notion that they're going to Zondarize the whole planet,
  but your people, as usual, don't buy it.  They in particular don't flinch in
  the face of Pizza's rhetoric, causing him to revise his opinion of you; that
  said, he plans to force the relic of Cain and all its friends to capitulate
  anyway.  Primada loves the faint lingering smell of exhaust, and is all hot
  and bothered as she prepares to take on your people...

  You now have to both take out the Four Lords _and_ get someone to Tokyo
  Tower.

  On turn 1.5, Miwa sticks his head outside, seeing the Alpha Numbers and
  intending to let them know he's here.  The scientists try to prevent this,
  saying that it's far more likely he'll get himself shot before the Alpha
  Numbers can make it over.  Kentarou tells him that they should gather up
  all the survivors and prepare to evacuate, but Miwa furiously tells this
  "alien" to shut up and not try to tell him, the commander of the Far East
  base what to do.

  As the trash talking ensues between the GGG and the Zondar, the kiddies
  trapped at Tokyo Tower wonder if they'll ever make it out of this.

  Pizza is worth a High Performance Targeting System.  As Gai tells him that
  he's not the only one who can fly, he goes over and crashes into the building
  where Miwa and the others are hold up.  Erika and the crew spirit them away
  to a safe location, promising to explain later...

  Boronezu and Primada are worth two Super Alloy Z and Zolmanium Alloy.
  Primada can't believe that she's losing to the likes of your robots here, and
  Boronezu tells her to leave this to him and retreat.

  Penchinon is worth a Megagenerator.  When you take down Penchinon, Volfogg
  feels a strange bond with this longtime foe.  He bids his misled archrival
  farewell, thinking to remember this day for the rest of his life.

When you get someone to the Tokyo Tower, Taiga orders the Hero robots to
follow suit.  What waits for Gai and the others underground is the cause of all
this upheaval of the past two years: EI-01!  The kiddies meanwhile are glad
that you won, but the earthquakes in the area are getting steadily worse.
Tokyo Tower itself may collapse, but Mamoru shows up to lead everyone to
safety.  Hiroshi is with them, and tells them all to move their butts before
it's too late.  They make it outside, and Hana is very glad to see Mamoru
again.  The feeling is mutual, but Mamoru knows he's still got a job to do.
She promises to wait for him, and then hurries off with the others to evacuate.
 Just then, a badly wounded Primada finds Mamoru.  Boronezu is with her, and
informs the shocked Mamoru that the Zondarians have unkillable bodies.  Well,
at least in Primada's case she's used up too much energy to regenerate
completely.  Primada finds Mamoru adorable enough to kill, but Boronezu tells
her not to touch him carelessly.  She doesn't listen, and Mamoru's powers kick
in, eroding her body.
 Before she dies, it seems for a moment that she returns to some former self
that recognizes Mamoru, and Boronezu softly curses her foolishness.  Mamoru
wonders why she collapsed instead of returning to being at peace, and the same
thing starts happening to Boronezu.  A man stands in his place, thanking
Mamoru but saying that it's a bit too late for him.  He simply disappears just
before Volfogg comes to report that everyone has been evacuated from Tokyo
Tower.  Unfortunately, the plot isn't going to let them escape so easily...

Pizza is at least partially alive, having separated himself before being
destroyed totally.  He doesn't want to admit defeat on this backwater planet,
but just then Gai and Galleon find him.  Some of your other people are on the
scene too, and it's clear that Pizza is in no position to fight back.
Nonetheless, he's prepared to bar your people's way forward, saying that he's
lived as a warrior, and will die as one.  He realizes fully that he's the last
of the Four Lords left, but vows to defeat you or die trying anyway.  Gai then
tells everyone else to go on ahead: he's planning to fight Pizza one on one,
opposing Pizza's fire with everything he's got.  Pizza is grateful that this
cyborg would show him that courtesy...

Mamoru has now appeared before Pasdar, who calls him a "machine of destruction"
that Cain created.  Pasdar says that even if he can't touch Mamoru, he _can_
seal him away.  If two fellow anti-energy beings touch each other, whoever's
power is lower will be eradicated first.  Pasdar doesn't intend to lose that,
but also realizes that he can't afford to waste energy pointlessly now.  He
tells Mamoru that he'll shortly remake this world into a planet of machines,
but Mamoru figures that won't happen as long as the Alpha Numbers are around.
Just then, Gai, much banged up from fighting Pizza, shows up.  Pasdar greets
the bearer of the Relic of Cain, telling him that he's going to remake the
world.  Gai of course won't permit that, but he doesn't have much energy left
after the fight with Pizza...  Pasdar is about to strike the fatal blow when
Pizza shows up and gets in the way, saying that he's done so because his duel
with Gai isn't over yet.  Pasdar pooh-pooh's Pizza as one more weak-hearted
being, but Pizza says that what he's done is choose the place of his warrior's
death.  He thanks Gai for making him remember something important, and then
makes to attack Pasdar.  As he does so, he says that that's not his real name.
His real name is....

Pizza remembers the sky above, how grand it is, and wishes that he could die
under its expanse.  Just then Pasdar comes to grant fear to the weak-hearted
beings...


Stage 46M. Totsugeki!  MIKEENE Teikoku - Zenpen ("Charge!  Mikeene Empire -
Part 1")

Letting the fighting continue surely can't be good for mankind, and despite
the danger a victory here could really swing things in your favor.  Shiba gives
you the location of the main Mikeene base: a volcanic island in the
Mediterranean Sea.  Hiroshi is looking forward to whacking the king mole really
good, but your people will have to be careful - the bad guys have a lot of
warpower left, and you don't even know what the Emperor of Hell can do.
Hiroshi promises his dad that he'll win this fight, and Kenzou tells Kouji and
Tetsuya that it's their duty to strike the final blow in this fight.

Algos tells the Emperor that of the Seven Generals, four remain and continue
to fight in Asia, Africa, and Oceania.  The Emperor tells Algos to order them
to prioritize exterminating all humans on Earth above all else.  If
circumstances require it, he'll dispatch Ulyceasar, Bardlar, and Hardias to
support them.  Algos isn't worried, but the Emperor tells him not to
underestimate the Alpha Numbers who took out the General.  Unless they can take
the Alpha Numbers out, there's no way to set up another base in Japan.  In
fact, the Alpha Numbers have left Japan and are heading their way.  The Emperor
has some plan, and tells Algos to lure your people here, using the Jama
survivors.  The Emperor can just imagine how surprised your people will be...

The Jama survivors are prepared to take revenge, asking Himika to grant them
strength.  Your people show up and survey the situation: before you is the
entrance to the fortress itself.  You now have no choice but to fight your way
forward, and do it fast before reinforcements arrive.  You've got eight turns
to finish this else you be defeated.

  For a Skill Point, kill everyone off in six turns.  Good play can do it in
  three.

  On 1.5, the enemy fire several very large missiles at you.  This doesn't
  change anything other than mean you've got a few more things to shoot at...
  You need to take out the missile launchers before the torrent of missiles
  will cease.

  Ikima is worth a Super Alloy Z.

When you off the last bad guy, Hell congratulates you on your victory: your
skills are certainly adequate to make you all his arch enemies.  He offers to
guide you to the final battleground below ground: the headquarters of the
enemy where Hell will grant you terror and despair, and death.  That the bad
guys have chosen their own base as the site of the "final battle" means that
they must be pretty confident... in fact, it's presumably some kind of trap.
Nevertheless, your people have to go at it anyway, for the sake of everyone on
Earth and in particular Irui, who's probably in some kind of danger right
about how.  Tetsuya vows to show the Grand Marshal of Hell what hell is
_really_ like [which seems somehow... redundant].

Algos reports that your people have entered the base, and the Emperor makes
sure that all is in readiness...


Stage 47J. Dai-Toukyou, Shoumetsu - Gohen ("Greater Tokyo, Annihilated - Part
2")

Your opponent is apparently none other than the Devil himself, Satan.  Satan
stands over 300 meters tall, and was responsible for the mess two years ago
that killed off Mikoto's parents (and many other people as well): EI-01.  What
has happened is that all of Tokyo [presumably, everything inside the Yamanote
rail line] is now _floating_in_midair_, and is apparently now part of EI-01.
This is less a fortress and more a spaceship, which Satan aka Pasdar is trying
to flee to space in.  This will of course spell certain doom for everyone who's
still stuck in Tokyo.  Amuro orders the Alpha Numbers to take down EI-01 and
save for Tokyo City [bonus points to anyone know knows where that phrasing is
from!], and Gai has Makoto go back to the battleships where it's "safe".  Taiga
tells each and every one of you to hang on to hope for the Earth.  You've got
to stop Tokyo within eight turns or it'll go too high for people to survive.

  When you move close to him, EI-01 says he's been waiting for this day and
  does something to all your machines.  He's emitting energy on the same
  wavelength as Zondar Metal, and Shishiou explains that this is the energy
  war of attrition [that Pasdar mentioned in the previous stage].  The effect
  only directly hits the Hero robots who have GS Rides, but the quantity of
  energy is so great it's even affecting your other mecha.  If your people
  don't do something _fast_, people like Gai who are powered by the GS Rides
  will die.  EI-01 rubs it in a bit more by dispatching some henchmen, but
  your people can't die now.

  For a Skill Point, take out all other enemies first, then EI-01.

  At some point during this map, get Gai's HP below 500 as another step to
  getting Stealth Gao II.

  On turn 2, Miwa wonders what your group of good-for-nothings is doing.
  The scientists point out to him that that light is sapping the strength from
  all your bodies.  Erika tells everyone to believe that the Alpha Numbers
  will win, but Miwa tells this alien to shut up and not think that he's in
  her debt just because she saved him once.  At least the kiddies and
  scientists believe in you.  It looks like EI-01 is still going at it: Taiga
  can't believe that it's willing to stage such a potentially suicidal attack.
  Gai says it's time for "an eye for an eye", which Shishiou realizes means
  the "X" Munition.  Kouji has no idea what this thingie is, but says to use it
  quick if it's some kind of trump card.  Time is running short [well, one
  turn shorter anyway], and Gai says that as the strongest cyborg mankind has
  created he promises to come back alive.  Hiroshi realizes that the X
  Bullet will probably cost Gai his life...

  The transmission power is falling off, and voice contact with GGG HQ is lost.
  Shishiou implores Taiga to use it, and Taiga decides to stake everything on
  the Heros, who have caused so many miracles until now....  The thing will
  arrive in one turn, which Gai says will at least let him fight reasonably
  for a change.  EI-01 means to kill off Gai first, but the Custos intervene
  and absorb the Zondar Metal.  They leave as quickly as they arrived, and
  with EI-01's energy this low it shouldn't be able to fire that attack again:
  now's your chance.

  The X Bullet arrives on turn 3.  The Heros hurry inside it, and Gai tells
  everyone that he needs only one turn.  This will be the longest turn your
  people have ever faced by all accounts...

  It's pretty self-evident what the X Bullet does, boost the power of the G
  Stones past their limit, producing incredible energy output.  The point of
  this is that Gai can now (in principle) win the energy war of attrition.

  EI-01 is worth a Super Alloy nu-Z and a Nejiri Hachimaki.

Tokyo begins to descend after EI-01 falls, but your machines stop working due
to overload.  This is bad for all the Heros, who don't seem to be responding.
In fact, all the G-Stones have dropped to energy zero - recovery is impossible.
 Perhaps Gai knew this would happen from the very outset, and Banjou says that
this sacrifice to win may have been too great.  Fortunately, Makoto still
believes in Gai and the others, screaming out in anguish for them to answer
him.  A burst of energy comes forth, and Gai tells him not to cry.  This is a
bona fide miracle, and Taiga says that this is what makes heros heros: doing
the impossible.  Today, the Heros won!

Everyone is very happy to see Tokyo back in its rightful place except Miwa,
who curses the Alpha Numbers for having trouble with an enemy that weak and
wondering why they haven't come to pick him up.  The Barmians with Erika's
group start tending to the wounded, which Miwa doesn't want to accept since
it's "pity" from the aliens.  Erika tells him that planet of origin is
unimportant: she wants to save as many people as possible.  Miwa tells her to
shut up: she needs his permission as the person in charge of the Far East base
before doing anything.  Erika sternly asks him if his job isn't saving lives,
and Riliina tells Miwa that this peace front is here to start talks with the
Barm.  Miwa then starts yelling up a storm, demanding that they be arrested as
spies on his personal authority.  Miwa actually tries to shoot Erika, and a
Barm soldier takes the bullet for her.  Miwa thinks this is some kind of act,
but Riliina yells at Miwa to stop immediately: it's this kind of self-righteous
pistol waving that's caused all this fighting in the first place.  She tells
him to shoot her if he wants to: she's already prepared.  THANKFULLY, Hiiro
steps in, shooting Miwa first.  He tells Miwa to try pointing a gun at HIM
instead, and Miwa furiously tries to at least kill an alien or two.  Hiroshi
tells Erika to run, saying that he'll take over here and that she should
continue her fight.  He assures her that they'll meet again if they both stay
alive, and she flees.  Miwa then accuses Kazuya of being a spy, which Kazuya
furiously points out is no way to talk to someone who just saved his life.
Miwa says that there's nothing wrong with shooting an alien, and Kazuya screams
at Miwa to know how Miwa can still call himself human.  He decks Miwa in the
jaw, yelling that Miwa's rank or station don't matter: Miwa is the lowest scum
of the universe!!!  He demands that Miwa stand before him so he can teach him
the true meaning of the word "pain".  He pummels Miwa repeatedly, but Ken'ichi
steps in and says that Miwa isn't even worth hitting.  Miwa vows to make you
all regret defying him, but Kazuya dares him to try, saying that your people
won't cave in to him.

Just then, a certain person walks up and tells Miwa, no longer a base
commander, that it is he who is under arrest.  It's Megumi's dad, Gou, who's
just returned to Japan.  After rattling off a long list of offenses against the
military, the Federation, and the people, he puts Miwa under arrest.  He tells
Miwa to save any complaints for his court martial, and your people figure that
Miwa has just been served his just desserts.

It turns out that Gou, a flag officer, had been off acting as a field operative
for Military Intelligence [remember, he IS the successor to the Koga Ninja
clan!]  His work all over the world brought him in contact with the peace
front, and he has very high hopes for the front's upcoming operations.  That
plan involves the assassination of Olban, the person who's seized control of
the Barm.  It's quite clear that he's the one responsible for Rihitel's
father's death, and indeed is responsible for the entire war between Barm and
Earth.  Melby, the front's leader opted for assassination since he judged that
peace talks could never resume so long as Olban holds the reins.  Lady
comments that although they're accepting Earth help, the Barmians want to solve
this problem under their own steam.  The fact that Gou is back means that the
Federation wants to avoid spilling any more blood, which is good.  What's bad
is that Little Barm has almost reached the Earth Sphere.  Gou asks Bright to
leave Earth to him, and take his team to space.  Bright rapidly agrees.

Meanwhile, Melby's people are reminding Erika that she may not come back alive
from this operation.  She knows that, and says that when she saw Kazuya
briefly he told her to keep fighting her fight.  She's now enveloped in
happiness that Kazuya understands what her fight is and is fighting towards the
same objective.  She says that she won't return to Kazuya's side until peace
has arrived between their two worlds.  Margarette is overjoyed to see how
Erika's love for Kazuya has made her grow, and says that Rion would be most
happy to see it too.  As thanks Melby for his people's help and retires to her
room, Hainel asks Melby if Erika is indeed Rion's daughter.  Melby tells him
that Erika is the front's hope, and symbol.  Melby asks Hainel, who has helped
their cause countless times, if he'd like to join the front.  Hainel is
grateful for the offer, but says that his hands are stained with too much blood
for the purposes these people possess.  This means that Hainel will go his own
way once everyone reaches Little Barm, in order to take care of the unfinished
business surrounding the Boazan emperor Zu Zanbajil.  Hainel says that as long
as that man refuses to give up on being the ruler of the galaxy, no peace can
come to Boazan.  Melby deeply respects Hainel's resolve, and wishes him fortune
in his upcoming battle.  Hainel pledges to do whatever he can to advance Melby
and his people's ideals...

Your people are very happy to see Gai in once piece, especially Mikoto.
Hiroshi in particular is very glad to see that the self-proclaimed "world's
strongest cyborg" didn't die in the line of duty.  Gai even gets his favorite
food, beef donburi to eat [and it looks like one of the seiyuu was involved in
a real-life beef donburi ad...]  Shishiou then comes and tells Gai that while
the other Heros aren't exactly "A-ok", they'll pull through.  If you followed
instructions, this is where Shishiou says that Gaogaigar is where the major
damage was done.  But hey, this is a good chance to upgrade the damaged parts
by putting in the Ultech engine: the upgrade being to the Stealth Gao designed
for the still-remaining fight in space.  Sanshirou is amazed that Shishiou had
time to cook all this up, and Shishiou merrily laughs and says that he won't
easily be bested by Daimoji, Sakon or Kosaku.  Properly speaking, the new
gadget is the Stealth Gao II, and when fully combined the result is called
Star Gaogaigar.  Gai is very glad for the upgrade, and Shishiou says ominously
that he's not sure that we've seen the last of the Zondar.

For example, in some unknown location, and unknown person is greeting the king
of the mechanical world.  It quickly becomes clear that the speaker is Kolos,
who welcomes a being similar to herself.  She wants him to loan her his
immense power...  ELSEWHERE, the Custos tells Irui that her chosen Sword has
obliterated another peril.  However, many perils still linger over this planet
- and it's the job of the Guardians to protect the world from perils coming
from all sources.  It tells her to awaken and unleash her strong will, to
protect the planet and those she loves.  He tells her that the lord of Paral,
Mashiaf, will become the protector of the world... which is in fact Irui
herself, who abruptly changes music and hairstyles.  She then apologizes to
her three servant creatures for making them feel so lonely, and then takes up
the whole "Many Swords, gather unto me, to protect the Earth" chant.  She seems
to be self-possessed though, and mentions Kusuha by name... and then says that
she'll be the lord of them all!...

  You get 2 Propellant Tanks, 2 Cartridges, 2 Repair Kits, and a Super Repair
  Kit.


Stage 47M. Totsugeki!  MIKEENE Teikoku - Gohen ("Charge!  Mikeene Empire -
Part 2")

Your people now know what the First Ward of Hell looks like, and despite being
the Grim Reaper Duo doesn't like the sight one bit.  Amuro says that all the
negative emotions bottled up here are creating tremendous Pressure, and your
people call the Emperor out... repeatedly since he seems to be somewhat shy.
The Grand Marshal comes out first to trash talk a little, and Kouji decides
that if the boss won't show up your people will just have to kick his ass
first.  Hell figures that that proves just how stupid your people are, and
Tetsuya notes that something is wrong - there should be more people guarding
this place.  Is it an ambush, or...?

  For a Skill Point, clear the map by defeating Hell within six turns.  This
  should be _quite_ doable in three.

Kouji and Tetsuya are convinced that they haven't taken out the real Hell -
his hatred for your people must surely be greater than that.  The question is,
why would he use an imposter now?  Just then, the Emperor himself appears as,
as Kouji puts it, an ordinary fireball.  Your people are almost disappointed
until Amuro says that that's not the Emperor's true form.  Your people tell him
to stop beating around the bush and face you, but he says that the main part
of him is currently heading for Japan: yes, your people's home base.  In fact,
he's abandoned this base here, saying that if he can claim the Surface it'll
be no big loss... especially considering that this burnt-black land is no
place for his people to live anyway.  Realizing that you've been had, Kouji
wants to hurry to Japan, but the Emperor has prepared some opponents for you to
prevent that.

  Not that they put up more than token resistance, but hey.

You're going to be several hours behind the Mikeene by the time you get back
to Japan, and Banjou sure hopes the Federation can hold out that long...  It's
not looking promising, and the scientists at Miwa's little conference are
urging him to evacuate the civilians first.  Miwa won't hear of it, still
deluded by images of beating down the Mikeene here.  Yotsuya and the others are
genuinely losing their patience with this guy, who is in turn wondering what
the hell the Alpha Numbers are up to.

The three generals are meanwhile having a merry time wrecking the place, until
your people show up...  They figure you for huge idiots for trying to fight
them despite being depleted after the previous battle, and Tetsuya cuts Kouji's
rejoinders short - he's tired of hearing the bad guys run their mouth and plans
to end it today.  It's pretty simple now - wipe them out: all of them.

  As in the other path, reduce Gai to less than 500 HP to get the Stealth
  Gao II after this path.

  On turn 1.5, Miwa sticks his head out and sees that the Alpha Numbers are
  on hand.  The scientists are still trying to get him to evacuate the
  civilians, but he says that evacuating him comes first - should anything
  happen to him it'd be a great loss to the Federation.  Yotsuya gets furious
  at this but Kentarou tells Miwa to stay here and await rescue: he is going
  to rescue the civilians and tells Miwa that they'll meet again if they both
  live.  The rest of the profs follow suit, and Miwa demands not to be left
  alone.

  The first enemy to be downed after this triggers events similar to the other
  path where Erika rescues Miwa's butt.  The second one will crash near
  Makoto's friends, which causes Makoto go over and try to rescue them.

  On turn two, the three Custos show up.  Banjou realizes that they only appear
  around you, and wonders what amongst your group is responsible.  Amuro tells
  everyone to ignore them and focus on the Mikeene, and Kusuha realizes that
  they seem to be here to help instead of hauling her and Britto off.

  Ulyceasar is worth a Megagenerator.  Hardias, as he promises to haunt you
  forever, is worth a Super Alloy Z.  Bardlar, stopped one breath from
  regaining the open skies, is worth a High Performance Targeting System.
  Algos is worth Zolmanium Alloy.

  Hell is worth a Super Alloy nu-Z.  He can't believe your people beat him,
  and Kouji and Tetsuya tell him that this fight wasn't about revenge, it was
  about the difference between the living and the dead.  As Hell goes kablooie,
  Kouji hopes he never comes out of hell again.

Once all the bad guys are dispatched, it's tempting to say that you won,
except that the Emperor is still around.  He comes forth in his full glory, to
repeat his ancient role of guiding all living things into despair and darkness.
 Yuu at first thinks that it's a soul of energy, but Amuro notes that it's more
like malice incarnate.  Whatever it is, it's pissed off and starts calling
down numerous lightning strikes.  He tells your people, who now fear its power
a bit more, to think of all their hopes as null and void now that you've seen
it in person.  The odd thing is, the Custos go over and start throwing down
with it, and not faring too well either.  Your people implore them to fall
back, saying that your people will shoulder the burden instead.  As they seem
to understand you and comply, Banjou says that unless humans win this fight, it
won't mean anything.  The Emperor doesn't think that a few wounded humans can
do anything to hurt it, but the Custos up and heal everyone before leaving
completely.

  When you fight the Emperor for the first time, Miwa is once again impatient
  about your people having difficulty taking down a single enemy.  He doesn't
  want to hear the aliens telling him to help the hostages, and Riliina shocks
  him by stating that she's going to stay and help the refugees.  Even if Miwa
  doesn't believe in you, the rest of the folks seem to.

  The Emperor of the Darkness is a genuine menace.  It's worth a Nejiri
  Hachimaki and metric long shitloads of money and experience.

When you finally take down the Emperor, who's been alive for tens of thousands
of years, he can't quite believe it's lost, and especially to mere humans.
Tetsuya tells the Emperor to return to the darkness, if that's where it's
from.
 Kouji adds that the Earth is not his, but rather belongs to every individual
who loves peace.  The Emperor manages as it dies to say that it'll exist as
long as the darkness... exists...  This is the end of the long battle Tetsuya
and the others have fought against the Mikeene, but of course there are still
other enemies left to face.  But hey, at least peace is one step closer now.

Cue the Makoto rescuing his friends bit (with Tokyo in somewhat better shape
this time around).

Cue the "Miwa's Last Stand" scene too, followed by Gou's explanation of the
plot to assassinate Olban.  And the scene Melby and Margarette and Erika and
Hainel.

AND with Irui.

  You get 2 Propellant Tanks, 2 Cartridges, 2 Repair Kits, and a Super Repair
  Kit.


Stage 48. Kessen e no Byouyomi ("Countdown to the Final Battle")

  If you pursued the Mikeene and fulfilled the conditions to get the Stealth
  Gao II, Gai receives it now.  If you got it, equip it before the battle
  starts unless you like casting pearls before swine.

Something interesting has happened: Robert and Eri have _no_ information to
offer about the Custos.  This is interesting because they've pored over ALL
kinds of records and scrolls and whatnot from all over human history, and can
find _no_ mention of them before now.  This seems to suggest that the Custos
machines are not kin to the Choukijin, but are rather of some third (fourth?)
party's making.  Banjou recalls that the Arrowgaters had some mobile weapons
like unto Earth life forms, but Viletta is pretty sure these aren't of
Arrowgater origin... else, they'd hardly be expected to help your people out
the way they do.  In other words, you've got no clue.  Just then, word comes
from the Good Thunder in the Sea of Japan that the Docougar are at it again.

Bundorl is determined to ignore the failures of the past and make _this_ the
true decisive battle.  The three of the are able to report to Neo Neros that
they've got the Good Thunder completely surrounded.  Apparently the Beamlar
detecting radar that Dr. Jeter invented is finally proving some use.  Kernagul
grouses that that radar has delayed the new mecha he's ordered: an astonishing
*35* mecha combining into one "God Neros".  Kuttner doesn't even want to think
about that, but Neo Neros tells everyone to keep on their guard.  If the Alpha
Numbers show up, he himself may have to sortie.  Savalas isn't pleased to hear
this, and tells Father to inform him as soon as he's pinpointed Neros'
location.  Your people arrive just then, ready to wipe out the Docougar so you
can go to space with a clear conscience.  Kenta, aboard the Goshogun, has some
strange reservations he can't put into words.  Bundorl kicks off the music for
this fitting finale, and the three Docougar muse that it'll almost be a shame
when this battle is over.  Watching Kernagul steal Bundorl's "beautiful" line
is worth the price of admission alone ^_^

  For a skill point, reduce the Docougar to six squads or less within six
  turns.  When you do so the remaining units will run away, so keep in mind
  which units you want to kill while attacking.

  On turn two, Kenta is hearing someone calling his name, and it's not anyone
  aboard the Good Thunder...

  On turn two, a Custos shows up, and promptly starts taking pot shots at the
  Good Thunder.  Kenta can somehow tell that the Custos is serious, and your
  people will have to seriously shoot it down too.  Kenta can't understand
  why this would be happening...  If you should shoot it down, it'll end this
  stage of the battle as well (with no Skill Point to show for it).

  Bundorl is worth a High Performance Radar.

When you take the Docougar down to six units, Father detects a Docougar ship
approaching rapidly.  Savalas has been waiting for this and orders the Good
Thunder to teleport the bridge there at once.  Bunta realizes that Savalas is
trying to settle the score himself...  Neo Neros isn't what you could call
glad to see him, and Savalas tells him to give it up already.  The Soul has
already been born he says, but Neros notes that Savalas himself is supposed to
have been that Soul: Savalas, Neros' own "son."  Savalas says that as one of
the test subject that Neros created, he's far from qualified to be the Soul.
Neros notes caustically that Savalas' flight ended up with all the test
subjects ending in failure, meaning he couldn't get his hands on the Soul
needed to control the Beamlar.  Savalas says that it can't be called a complete
failure since he himself is here to defeat Neo Neros: doing so will mean that
he'll finally be free.  Neros says that he's existed a very long on this Earth,
which is his: rather than let anyone else have it, he'd rather see it
destroyed.  Unfortunately, Savalas isn't able to scratch Neros, who claims to
have been alive for millions of years.  He further claims to be a god or demon,
the incarnation of the fear and rage humans bear for other humans.

The combatants reappear on the map, and Kenta seems to know all about who Neo
Neros is.  Kenta says that he now knows that he and all his friends have come
here to finish this, and has Shingo pull Goshogun over to the combatants.  He
then starts glowing just like Mamoru, and Neo Neros figures he can just wipe
out Kenta and take the Beamlar for himself.  Kenta doesn't want to harm any
further mecha, and has Shingo fire the Goflasher.  Like before, this makes all
the other mecha sentient, and they cry out that they'd rather die than fight
other fellow robots.  He says that there's no need for them to die though, and
rather than order them around he tells them to fight as they see fit.  They
all up and run away, leaving a peevish Neo Neros to take down.  Kenta yells out
at this Docougar to begone from this world, striking what appears to be a
fatal blow.  Not that anyone else knows what the hell is going on.  Neros is
understandably upset to be defeated, but says that the time he is destroyed is
the time that the Earth itself will be destroyed.  Hyouma figures this is just
the kind of throw-away line that a major villain would use, but it seems that
it's not entirely a bluff...  a swarm of neutron missiles, supposedly
prohibited by the Antarctic Treaty [just like nukes -_-;;] appears!  These are
supposedly worse than fusion weapons [though in fact the so-called neutron
bomb is actually a very _low_ powered fusion munition in real life...], and
they're aimed at every major city in the world.  A single missile will reduce
said city to ash.  Predictably, your people have to go over and shoot them
down, led by the example of that pesky Custos.  Kenta will keep the warheads
from exploding, so all your people have to do is frag the missiles themselves.

  The next turn, who should appear but the Docougar guys!  Your people have an
  awful lot of trouble believing that they're now going to help you, and are
  rather surprised that Kernagul has a wife in New York he's trying to
  protect.  Daimoji at length decides to accept their help, and Bundorl goes as
  far to say that it's an honor to fight by your side.

Your people should be able to shoot down the missiles easily.  There's no
radiation, and Savalas thanks you all for helping to totally wipe out the
Docougar.  The Docougar people are planning to retire and go back to their
previous lives: martial arts in Kuttner's case, the fried chicken restaurant
in Kernagul's case.  Bundorl is going to simply go into hiding like a true
flower blossoming in the darkness, and since Remy won't tell him "see you
again", he tells her as much on his own.  The Custos even departs then, leaving
your people to wonder why it turned on you temporarily.  Banjou would like to
think it was merely some kind of mistake...

At least your people can now head to space with a clearer conscience.  Shinda
tells Kenta that Neros was but one obstacle to the Beamlar maturing: there's
still a long way to go before it's fully reawakened.  He tells Kenta that the
Beamlar wants everyone to peacefully coexist in space - while mankind
continues to fight amongst itself, it isn't fit to truly inherit the Beamlar's
powers.  Kiry isn't impressed by this, but the rest of the team wants peace not
for the Beamlar, but for their own and all mankind's sake.  In short, only when
you've kicked the ass of all the outstanding enemies will the Beamlar fully
manifest... that's also the time when a journey to outer space will begin,
probably borne by Orphan at this rate.  You've got some REALLY tough hurdles
to overcome between now and then, but Shinda believes mankind has the power to
make the leap.  Shinda then begins to fade from the monitors, saying that
he'll be leaving Kenta for a while, erased entirely from Father's memory banks.
 He tells Kenta that mankind will eventually become masters of time: when that
happens, Kenta will probably see him again.  Kenta resolves not to cry, saying
that he believes in the future the Beamlar is showing.  Shinda then tells
Shishiou that everything will be clear at the end of this battle, and the fate
of all mankind is at stake.  The clock is now ticking down to the final
battle.
 As Shinda fades out, the Goshogun team commend Kenta on his growing maturity.
Savalas plans to wait for the final awakening of the Beamlar aboard the Good
Thunder, saying that he probably won't see you again until mankind sets forth
on its journey.

  [At this point, the game bifurcates highly.  Based on whether you pursued
  the Mikeene or the Zondar, future missions will fill in the other half of
  the story.  Additionally, whether you decide to join forces with Hamarn or
  not will further compound the multiplicity.  In the interest of time, I'm
  only going to take the Cooperate with Hamarn route following the pursuit of
  the Mikeene.]


Stage 49. Ketsudan ("Decision")

Synapse reports that Little Barm has just reached the Earth Sphere, having
destroyed the advance Federation units sent to meet it.  Given that those
forces were supposed to be able to withstand full-scale alien assault, it
seems that Little Barm is less an artificial moon and more a gigantic battle
station.
 Their battle plan seems to be to attack the moon first and then the colonies.
This seems to indicate that Erika and the others failed to assassinate Olban.
That would be why you all have come to space - in fact, it's why both Jion
factions AND the Federation are combating the Barmians right now.  In fact,
the bad guys are heading your way now, proof that they see you as quite a
threat.  Time for some serious payback for before.

Bergan for his part is impressed that you all managed to survive the asteroid
drop.  The Four Lords are feeling pretty confident anyway, especially since if
Olban sticks to the plan there will be several times the warpower on their
side.  The number they've already got indicates they're serious, which is just
great by Tetsuya: coming all the way to Earth just makes them that much easier
to shoot.  Kazuya thinks to Erika that if her plan has indeed failed, he'll
fight Olban himself.

  For a Skill Point, take the enemy down to less than six units in four turns.

  On 1.5, Judou senses something that he'd like to believe is his imagination.

  Kilar is worth a Super Alloy Z.

  On turn 4.5, or when you fulfill the Skill Point condition, it's unmistakable
  that Hamarn is here!  As your people stare in amazement, Desmond informs
  the other Lords that he has a plan, and tells them to all pull back to
  Little Barm: apparently Hamarn's forces have been mistaken for some kind of
  reinforcements.  After the bad guys pull out, Hamarn explains to Judou that
  space is too noisy for her to be sleeping on Axis.  Amuro asks if she's
  brought all that warpower to attack the aliens, to which she replies that she
  can't just let the aliens attack the Colonies.  When Bright asks, she says
  that she's determined to do so apart from the Federation, at least until
  the Federation redoes its political structure.  Bright tells her that your
  people intend to strike the aliens and not her forces; though if she insists
  on fighting you'll have no choice but to respond in kind.  Hamarn playfully
  wonders aloud what she should do, and Judou reminds her that the two sides
  came to an understanding during the Balmar War - is there no other choice but
  to continue the fighting.  After a moment, she tells Judou to rest easy:
  she didn't come here to fight your people: she's got bigger fish to fry than
  your people as representatives of the Federation.  Amuro realizes that she's
  talking about Char, and she compliments him on how perceptive he is...
  perceptive enough to understand her feelings now.  She accuses Char of trying
  to lead mankind to Renewal while he himself is attempting to retreat from it.
  She finds this unfair, and Camille asks if she's actually offering to help
  you overthrow Char.  Hamarn wouldn't mind that so much, saying that she
  can't agree with Char's attempt to renew humanity by wrecking the Earth.  On
  the other hand, it could be said that that's better than what the Federation
  is doing.  She then asks you: would _your_ people have her?  She tells you
  that if you don't accept, she'll sign an alliance with Char... not precisely
  a threat, as such.  She notes with some amusement that it was partial your
  people's doings in the Balmar war that made her think this way and return
  from the asteroid belt to Earth.

  [You can choose either to sign a cease-fire with Hamarn, or refuse her.  I
  chose the former for now.]

  Yuu doesn't take Bright's decision to accept Hamarn lightly, but Nanga
  points out that Bright made it despite having crossed swords with Hamarn many
  times before.  Amuro adds that while he understands Yuu's feelings, doing
  nothing but fighting isn't the road to peace.  Every last piece of warpower
  to oppose the Neo-Jion and Barm is what you need right now.  Camille points
  out that Hamarn isn't motivated by emotion - she should be trustworthy.  Yuu
  finally relents, and Bright requests permission to come aboard Hamarn's ship
  to plan for the upcoming battles.  She agrees, saying that she's interested
  in seeing a few old faces herself (i.e. Judou...)

Nani wants to know what to do now that Hamarn has joined forces with the Alpha
Numbers - should she send forces to try to capture Axis after the aliens are
dealt with?  He tells her that there's no need to be fixated on Axis,
especially not when he's got Jovian nukes on his side.  He seems determined to
press forward with other plans and not dwell on Hamarn, so Nanai prepares to
test "that plan".  Should "it" fall, it'd wreak even more damage than Axis,
and Nanai says that it'll be a worse act than any one person has ever
perpetrated before.  He of course isn't planning on backing out now, and Nanai
wants to know why EVERYONE including Dugachi has their souls so bound by the
Earth's gravity.  Char figures that humans may just be programmed that way: the
Earth is rich and beautiful, and venturing forth from it may just be some
terrifying, despair-filled journey.  Indeed, "somebody" may even have somehow
instilled fear of leaving the Earth into the bottom of human memory, and
according to Char somebody has to shoulder the burden of making all mankind
into Newtypes and ending that fear.  Nanai isn't so sure: she thinks Char has
made up this plan just to get back at Amuro, saying that Amuro is a man who
mistakes gentleness for one of the Newtypes' weapons [huh? O_o]  She figures
that although a woman could forgive Amuro that, Char himself can't [HUH?!? O_o]
This makes Char stop and wonder if that's why Lalah tried to reach Amuro's
heart back then, and he tells a puzzled Nanai that what this really means is
that Amuro and he are too much alike, and therefore naturally hate each other.
Lovely.

Hamarn greets Judou for the first time since the conference during the Balmar
War.  Judou starts by thanking her for protecting Liina when she was injured
at Axis.  She tells him that no thanks are necessary - Liina belonged by her
side anyway.  She then informs Bright of Axis' strength: 48 battleships and
around 3600 mobile suits.  This is less than Synapse expected, and Hamarn notes
that the ongoing strife with Jupiter is to blame.  This surprises Bright, who
thought that Hamarn's forces were still in a standoff with Neo-Jion.  She
replies that while Neo-Jion and Jupiter have formed an alliance, Dugachi seems
to have his own schemes and his own ways of carrying them out separate from
Char.  That said, the two sides aren't yet antagonizing each other: both share
a common goal after all: making Earth into a dead world.  Given that Axis is
out of the picture, your people all expect this to come in the form of a
massive nuclear strike.  Hamarn notes sourly that Char seems to be in ever more
of a hurry to find his answer after making himself her enemy after the Balmar
War: it's almost comical.  She then notes that she's not the only one opposed
to what Char and Dugachi are up to, and tells Vera that she's got someone for
her to meet: it's Dorel Rona (assuming you met the conditions to recruit him).
Vera is surprised to see him here, and he tells her that she can laugh at him
if she wants: he's now neither the leader of the Crossbone Vanguard or even the
head of the Rona House.  He's lost everything with the death of his father Iron
Mask, and left the Crossbone Vanguard of his own will: he's smart enough to
realize that now isn't the time for political debate with aliens attacking and
all.  Besides, the nobility are supposed to be the sword and shield of the
people in times of trouble... but Zabiine and Jire found out what he was up to
before hand, and that was the end.  He reminds Vera that he was merely adopted
into the Rona household... thus, now that he's lost everything, he wants to try
to find his own ideals as a single warrior.  Kincaidu is glad to see Dorel
finally free of Iron Mask's curse, and he tells Vera that he'll help out as the
one and only thing left for him to do.

Synapse tells Hamarn that your people are planning on a pinpoint strike to take
out Olban, the leader of Little Barm.  Hamarn plans to shield the colonies, and
sneak around to provide you reinforcements.  Amuro makes sure once more that he
can trust her, and she repeats that he should be able to understand how she
feels, not as fellow Newtypes but as fellow victims of betrayal by a certain
person.  Amuro thinks about this for a moment, then smiles and admits that they
do seem to have something in common now.  Hamarn smiles too, saying that Char
wants to setting things with Amuro... but not if she settles Char first.  More
or less, whoever lives through this mess gets to take Char out, and Hamarn
gives you some mobile suits and nuclear missiles to help out (she's confident
that you'll figure out how to use them as more than mere weapons).

After the conference is over, Four and the Puru sisters find Hamarn.  She
recognizes them as the fugitives from Gremy's Newtype research program at the
Murasame laboratory.  Puru tells Hamarn not to use her sisters in battle, and
Puru2 tells her that she's aware that her sisters are aboard the black
Quberays.  Hamarn then asks them what they're fighting for, and when Puru
falters Four answers so that no more children will have to be born as tools of
war, as well as eliminating that war itself.  Hamarn digests this, pointing
out that to end fighting, power is needed - and Hamarn definitely gave the
girls power.  However, she hasn't interfered with their hearts: in short,
their reason for fighting is the same as your people's.  She smiles and tells
them, Judou's "little sisters" not to die, less their Quberays be sad too.

  You get 2 Propellant Tanks, 2 Cartridges, 2 Repair Kits, a Super Repair Kit,
  a Dobenwolf, and two Mass Production Quberays.  Assuming of course that you
  got the Puru sisters enough kills...


Stage 50. Shou-BAAMU no Taikoubousen ("The Great Struggle for Little Barm")

Rihitel is stewing in jail, basically wondering whether his people have won or
not and not much else.  Just then Raiza shows up, telling him that the prison
guards are now elsewhere.  She informs him that she and Balbas had been
prohibited from boarding their ships, but with the final offensive coming she
and he have been restored to command.  Rihitel is glad to hear that the time
has come to wipe out those pesky humans... until Raiza tells him that Little
Barm is currently in lunar orbit.  He's appalled at the danger this puts all
the cold-sleeping Barmians in, and wonders what the hell Olban is thinking.
Raiza has heard some bad rumors about Olban, that he's sold the people of Barm
to Darius of Zayla.  Rihitel is predictably skeptical of this, but Raiza says
that there's more: Olban is rumored to be behind Rion's assassination.  He
wants to know where that rumor came from, and Raiza thinks it started with
members of the Peace front among the civilians.  Rihitel is surprised to learn
of that organization's existence, and Raiza says that their objective is to
topple the Barm and Zaylan leadership responsible for the war and resume peace
talks with the Earth.  Rihitel can't believe that Raiza herself is being taken
in by this, but she points out that _Olban_ is the one who stuffed Rihitel into
this dungeon: surely there's some dark secret going on.  Apparently, the front
has already tried to assassinate Olban, but were somehow found out beforehand
and all imprisoned by Geroyier... and their leader was none other than Erika.
Furthermore, Melby (who took Erika away from the undersea base) was the leader
of the whole Front.  Rihitel figures this for more of Erika's shameless
behavior, but Raiza keeps quiet, finally saying that she and Balbas will
eventually rescue Rihitel when the time is right and asking him to be patient a
while longer.  Rihitel, short on brain cells as usual, vows to oppress the
Earth before the so-called Peace front has their say.

Balbas tries to tell Raiza that it'll all be okay: if they as Rihitel's
subordinates do well in battle, Rihitel will surely be let off the hook.  Raiza
isn't so sure, thinking that things run deeper than that.  Just then a soldier
comes in rather unexpected, spooking Raiza and nearly getting Balbas to summon
the guards.  The soldier has something to show them first...

Geroyier is meanwhile preparing to do something horrible to another one of the
Peace front soldiers, who is pleading that he doesn't want to fight any more.
Dangel is in cahoots, and somehow turns the soldier into a Dark Birdman.  It
appears that the experiment was a success.  Desmond asks "Number 803" who the
greatest god in the universe is, and receives the answer "Desmond".  Dangel
asks 803 who the god that he will swear fealty and lay down his life for is:
again, Darius.  This is in fact the footage that the Barmian is showing to
Raiza and Balbas, figuring that they've already heard the rumors.  Balbas
furiously demands to know if this is one of the Peace front guys, but just
then one of the birdmen shows up and figures them _all_ for traitors.  Raiza
tells Balbas to take the man and run...

Your people see Little Barm as currently quiet.  Are they waiting to attack you
inside, or is this a trap, or...?  Synapse says that there's no time to
hesitate, and your people hurry forward, only to get zapped by "Pyramid Power",
another name for a strong plasma attack.  This seems to be what took out the
advance Federation elements, and Olban shows up to gloat a bit.  Just as your
people are about to withdraw, the Barmian, Balbas in tow, leaves Little Barm to
entrust your people with the mission of assassinating Olban.  Balbas protests
that the humans are the enemy, but the Barmian points out that Olban himself is
a traitor: if there are bad humans, there must be some good ones too.  Daimoji
orders Pete to shield the ship from the Barm fire, and your people hastily
rescue the ship and bail.  Olban tells Geroyier to let this apparent Peace
front fugitive go, and Geroyier figures he can find out all about whoever it
was from "her".  Raiza for her part apologizes in advance for probably not
being able to fulfill her promise to Rihitel.

It turns out that this is the same Barmian that Miwa shot: that wound, plus
the damage he just suffered, will probably prove fatal.  He tells Kazuya that
he owes him his life, and pleads with Kazuya to hurry: Olban's ambitions have
reached the final stage.  And, to squelch the rebellious, he's soon to execute
Erika.  The Barmian tells Kazuya to get all the details from Balbas, asking
and all the Alpha Numbers with his dying breath to restore peace to space.

Some of your people aren't particularly thrilled with the prospect of helping
out this Barmian general, who in turn isn't planning on asking for the help of
his enemy to fix Olban's wrongdoing.  Kazuya asks Balbas what he _is_ planning
to do, and Balbas says that while he would normally challenge you all, he is
forced by the resolve his fallen comrade showed to asks you all for help in
toppling Olban.  He makes it perfectly clear that he's not planning on lowering
his head to you: this is all for the billion Barmians in cold sleep.  Your
people figure they can trust this guy, but the problem is how to get into
Little Barm.  The scientists have a way, though it's pretty risky.  Your people
would rather be taking the risk than spending time debating it, and Shishiou
says that it all depends on Deimos and the V's.  This will CERTAINLY put their
lives in jeopardy...

Geroyier isn't impressed with the fact that your dudes are back.  Apparently
the plan is for Deimos to go to full power, converting it and everything nearby
to energy.  The V's will then synchronize their ultramagnetic energy with
Deimos, sending the four machines inside Little Barm's barrier.  They will then
disable the barrier from within.  Of course, should your people mess up the
timing the machines which have become energy will never be able to
rematerialize, doomed to wander space for all eternity.  The pilots don't mind,
having already said their prayers and such.  Kazuya for his part is urging
Balbas on, saying that it's all for the sake of returning peace to Barm (this
impresses Balbas).  It will take those machines 3 turns to charge their energy,
during which point they'll be immobile.  The rest of your dudes will of course
hold off the bad guys until then.

  On 1.5, Geroyier decides to demonstrate how invincible Little Barm is by
  firing the Plasma gun again.

  It should be quite doable to take out all the bad guys within two turns.
  Geroyier is astounded.  You still have to endure another round of bombardment.

  On turn four, the energy is charged and ready to go.  Chizuru has momentary
  second thoughts, but gets over them fast.  With much bravado, your people
  power up, of course making it inside.  The V's set out to take down the
  field generator, and Deimos is sent to rescue Erika.  The plan is to
  meet up at Olban's treasury.

  Meanwhile, a certain person shows up to get Rihitel out of the area.  He
  tells Rihitel to hurry, and to see the truth with his own eyes.  Olban at
  that moment receives the report of the humans getting into Little Barm and
  taking out the Plasma Generator.  Erika is glad to hear the Alpha Numbers are
  coming, and Olban figures that Erika's lover must be here.  Erika tells
  Olban to say his prayers, and Olban seems to think that that courage and
  beauty make her suitable to be his bride.  Erika tells him to shut up,
  demanding to know who would marry the killer of their own father.  Olban
  figures that executing Kazuya before her eyes should be enough to win her
  heart [O_o]  Fortunately, Kazuya shows up to demonstrate that things won't
  go that easily for him, and to hold him responsible for fomenting the war
  between the Earth and the Barm.  Kazuya's friends are of course there too,
  as is Balbas, who has finally come around to the truth.  All Olban has to
  say to Balbas' accusations is "...So?", and Kyoushirou advises against
  wasting words on this dude.  Geroyier figures that Kazuya and the crew are
  fools to come here alone, figuring the guards will stop them at any moment...
  except the guards never show up.  Of course, the V's have taken care of that
  little problem.

  Well, there's one MORE little problem left: Olban still has Erika.  Olban
  tries to use this chance to shoot Kazuya, but Balbas takes the bullet,
  saying it's his turn to save Kazuya.  Kazuya vows to not waste Balbas's
  resolve, and defeat Olban and Geroyier with his own hands.  Geroyier figures
  Balbas for a fool for giving up his life defending a human, and the V pilots
  shout that these beings who look like men are in fact demons in human form.
  Olban furiously shouts at them all to shut up - HE is the ruler of Barm!
  Before he can fire another shot, Hainel intervenes, yelling back that Olban
  is by no means fit to rule anyone.  Ken'ichi is very glad to see his brother,
  who in turn had been quite sure Ken'ichi would make it this far.  Geroyier is
  astounded that the Boazan would go back on their alliance, and Hainel
  furiously accuses people like him for why there's never any peace for the
  people.  In fact, he has no intention of forgiving these evildoers, or the
  emperor Zu Zanbajil either.  Hainel says that the very fact he was able to
  set foot upon his home planet again is due to the protection of the god
  Goldor.  Olban angrily points out that it was Zu who pointed out the Earth
  to the Barm, which Hainel explains as a ploy to have the Barm subdue the
  Earth's militaries and deliver them to Zu's own hand, so that he could
  become the ruler of the entire galaxy.  This is of course no different than
  the Ze Balmariy empire, and is exactly the reason Hainel returned to Earth.
  He then tells Rihitel to settle this matter by his own hands: Rihitel will
  recall the kindness Hainel has shown to the end of his life.

  He starts by apologizing to Erika and his subordinates, and says that he's
  definitely seen Olban's evil firsthand.  Surely his sword will make clear
  the fury of Rion and of the Barm citizens.  Unfortunately for Rihitel,
  Olban's throne is surrounded by a defensive screen.  Unfortunately for
  Olban, Raiza takes the bullet that was meant for Rihitel.  Just then comes
  the sound of the Birdman modification facility blowing up, just as Hainel
  had planned.  Olban and Geroyier than hurry outside, planning to murder all
  the people there.  Raiza gets to die in Rihitel's arms, saying that it's only
  natural she lay down her life for the person most important to her.  Melby
  then shows up, saying that all the others have been saved by the Alpha
  Numbers but that Olban has just sortied in a huge battleship.  As the V
  teams prepare to head out, Hainel tells Ken'ichi to pursue the path he feels
  is right... and should that align with his own, he'll gladly lend a hand.
  Melby meanwhile says that he'll take care of evacuating Erika and the
  noncombattants, and tells Rihitel to lead his people against Olban.  Rihitel
  then tells Kazuya that all his rage towards him is based on a
  misunderstanding, and asks permission to fight alongside him until he can
  make that wrong right.  Now it's time to resume the THROW DOWN.

  Olban shows up in the Zandar, which Zu gave him himself.  Of course, the
  Four Lords aren't showing any signs of showing up to support him, and of
  course Olban isn't about to let that slow him down.  Bergan now realizes that
  Olban is too stupid to realize when he's been abandoned, and figures that he
  was VERY incorrect to come all the way out here to Earth, even if on
  Zanbajil's orders.  Just then the V's, Deimos, and if eligible Hainel and
  Rihitel show up too.  The trash talking ensues, leading up to Olban figuring
  that the common people exist only to be used for the whims of their ruler.

  For a Skill Point, take down the enemy flagship in seven turns.  You should
  be able to wipe out everyone in more like three.

  Two of the enemies has a Biosensor.

  Olban is worth an *S-Adaptor*.  Olban can't believe that you took out him,
  the ruler of a billion Barmians.  He figures that Earth will now destroy
  the Barm, but Kazuya vows that as long as your people are around that will
  never happen.  Banjou joins the shouting match, telling Olban not to think
  that everyone in space is self-righteous and profit-driven like him.  Hime
  yells out that your people are prepared to listen if the other side is
  prepared to talk, and Ryou yells that people like Olban who only think of
  themselves don't deserve to live in this universe.

After Olban falls, Rihitel tells Kazuya that he can do with him as he pleases.
Unfortunately, at that moment someone starts attacking the area from long
range.  It's the Four Lords, who of course were aiming for this moment, and
figure that they can just build another conversion machine to replace the one
you broke.  Your people are pretty beat up, but Melby calls in and asks you to
return to Little Barm to regroup and strategize.  This is no longer an
Earth/Zayla or Barm/Zayla conflict: it's everyone who loves peace versus
Darius!  Daimoji agrees, ordering everyone to regroup on Little Barm in
preparation for the final battle against the Zaylan Black Holar Army.


Stage 51. Ankoku no Shihaisha ("Ruler of the Darkness")

The Four Lords are reporting to Darius that, according to plan, the Earthlings
have killed Olban and Bergan.  Now all they've got to do is take out the
depleted Alpha Numbers, and the Billion Barmians are theirs to use as soldiers.
 They figure that you all are shaking in your boots about Little Barm, and
figure that all they've got to do is just smoke you out.  Darius is glad to
hear that he's about to no longer have the Earth to fear, and plans to head to
Little Barm himself.  His orders: eradicate the Alpha Numbers before he shows
up.

Every mechanic in Little Barm is working on fixing your mecha, but it's far
from clear that Little Barm will last long enough.  Wouldn't you know it, but
Hainel and Rihitel have headed out first...

The Four Lords are busy making black holes with their Death Cross Formation.
Rihitel and Hainel have a clear purpose: take out at least two of their
machines so they can no longer use that attack.  Hainel is determined to buy
time until the Alpha Numbers show up, and explains that he's trying so hard to
defend Little Barm out of a sense of penitence.  Not so much because his
people were trying to use the Barm, but in deference to some larger sense
of...  justice.  When Rihitel seems dubious, Hainel tells him that he'll
understand eventually.  They handily take out the black hole generators, and
the Four Lords withdraw slightly to let their troops do the talking.  Happily,
your dudes are now repaired and ready to go.

  For a Skill Point, clear the map in eight turns.

  It appears that when you reduce the bad guys to less than six units, Darius
  himself shows up.  Darius is in fact a giant machine, made by the Zaylans
  to withstand and bring forth the power of black holes.  Mind you, Zayla
  itself was consumed by the black hole, and the Zaylans became space refugees.
  Ken'ichi demands to know why Darius didn't try to use peaceful means to
  secure a new home for his people, and Rihitel figures that trying to
  manipulate the Barm, even for the same objective, is unpardonable.  Much
  trashtalking ensues, and defeating Darius is the victory condition for the
  battle.

  Dankel is worth a Super Alloy nu-Z.  Desmond is worth a High Performance
  Targeting System.  Kilar is worth a Zolmanium Alloy, as is Asimov.

  Darius is worth a Yuusha no Rakuin.  Darius can't believe he's about to
  lose, and Sanshirou tells him that evil losing to good is the immutable law
  of the universe.  The problem is that he's determined not to die alone - he
  plans to take out Little Barm in the process!  Rihitel and Hainel aren't
  about to let that happen, resolving to guide the guy to Hell themselves if
  that's what it takes.  As Ken'ichi calls out to his brother, Hainel says that
  being recognized as their sibling means he has no regrets: he entrusts his
  mother planet of Boazan, and his father, to them.  Kazuya implores Rihitel
  to come back, but Rihitel says that Kazuya is a hero among heros, saying that
  he intends to apologize for all the Earthlings whose lives he's taken with
  his own.  He entrusts Kazuya with those billion Barmians, and Darius gets
  taken away to explode.  All three of their machines disappear, and though
  this marks the end of the war with the aliens, the sacrifices were not small.

Ken'ichi is trying not to cry, believing that Hainel isn't really dead (after
all, he lived through the fires of the Balmar War just fine).  He quickly
recovers, telling his brothers that there's no time to be sad - the fighting
is by no means over.  Kazuya meanwhile is trying to quiet Erika's tears,
saying that crying doesn't befit the new peaceful start that Rihitel wished for
the Earth and Barm.  He tells her to listen, and she hears the cheers of Barm
newly awakened to peace, just as Rihitel would have wanted.

Melby introduces himself as the representative of the peace front, whose
actions your people have found both profoundly helpful and instructive.  And
it's all thanks to Kazuya and Erika and their love that crosses planetary
boundaries.  Melby wants to resume peace talks, but understands that they'll
have to remain on hold until the fighting on Earth reaches what should now be
its inevitable conclusion.

As your people reflect on the nature of love (Tetsuya still doesn't get it),
Kazuya has to cut short his happy reunion with Erika.  Kazuya promises to
return, bearing victory, and asks Erika to send him off with a smile (she does
so).

Elsewhere, Dugachi is addressing his imperial troops, telling them that now is
the time to kill off the parasites on the universe known as the Federation
given the alien menace is ended.  Given that the Neo-Jion isn't acting, it's
time for the Jovians to act on their own!  He seems very happy about the fact
that what he has planned will kill roughly 60% of the Earth's surface, saying
that though this prospect may sadden some it's the only way to uproot the
Federation.  He views this as the only way for the peoples in space to gain
any legitimacy, and Barns seems ready to believe that this is the only way for
the world to progress.  The plan seems to be to count on the other 40% to be
bountiful and bless the Jovians, and Dugachi instructs his people to be angry:
what summoned this destruction is none other than Federation incompetence.
The Jovians' final operation begins here...


Stage 52. Ketchaku wa Ningen no Te De ("Settling the Score by Human Hands")

The Eos Niyux (Chelindon's ship) is sending a distress call: according to
Hamarn, the Jovians have just swung into action.  Kincaidu is surprised to
hear that Hamarn and Chelindon have been in in touch, but Chelindon says they
both want peace in space and notes that Dugachi seems to have decided not to
wait around for Char before acting.  Hamarn's forces have left Axis to try to
put a stop to this, and your people are of course going to go and participate
in the fight.  Chelindon asks Vera to have Judou and Tobia come to her after
the fighting, so that their abilities can be awakened and they can become
powers for ushering in a new age.  She says that she'll permit their powers to
be used for fighting this once [@_x;;;;]

Tobia isn't having it, mainly because he wants to see how far he can go without
officially becoming a Newtype.  Judou thinks this is just fine, noting that
Newtypes are people too [^^;;] and saying that any new age should be made not
by one Newtype but by the power of all the people.  Bernadette is somewhat
morose, wondering if her father is already dead.  She figures her father must
already be dead, and his automatons giving the orders, on the theory that her
own father wouldn't do something so terrible.  She asks Tobia to stop this
madness, lest her father's wishes go any farther astray.

Somehow or other the Jovians have all but wiped out Hamarn's and the Federation
fleets.  Hamarn caustically praises Dugachi for staging a blitzkrieg when her
forces were still depleted after the alien fighting.  Dugachi figures Char is
just some young whelp, and says that once the Earth was slated for demolition
that demolition should be carried out swiftly.  Hamarn is not precisely
impressed, and notes that her role is over now that the Alpha Numbers are
here...  Judou realizes that he needn't have worried about Hamarn's safety
[^_^], and Vera demands to know what Dugachi thinks making the Earth a dead
planet will accomplish (well, only 60% dead, but who's counting besides Barns?)
Dugachi finally reveals his true objective: total annihilation.  Nothingness.
Kaputification!  He wants the Earth so dead that it's even deader than that.
The goal seems to be to make mankind that much easier to govern, by pulling the
strings on the colonies that would become the sole suppliers of everything
mankind needs.  The debate seems to center around whether mankind can progress
or even endure if deprived of its mother planet, and Giri figures that if
nothing else this is a good way to bring about eternal peace.  Tobia isn't
going to let that slide, but Karas actually invites him to join the new
imperial guard that'll be necessary to keep the colonies in line after the
Earth is razed.  Tobia refuses, and your people wisely observe that the state
Giri has described isn't peace, but rather soullesness.  Karas tells his men
to try to force you to understand by nuking you, and Amuro tells Hamarn to
retreat.  She's not about to retreat in the face of bastards like the Jovians,
and Judou and the Puru sisters plan to make sure that Hamarn doesn't lose her
life on this one, since she's now a friend.  Hamarn seems actually touched by
this, and Vera says that your objective is Jupitoris 9: you shouldn't care
about the small fry given that any number of hidden tricks may be coming your
way.  Tobia asks God, if He really exists, not to lend a hand - to let humans
settle this one by themselves.

  When you down Giri, he notes that he can no longer go home.  He was supposed
  to be the most gifted Newtype in Dugachi's service... but now that he's
  failed, he's worthless.  He intends to die with his machine, and bids Tobia
  the pirate boy farewell.  Fortunately for him, his ejection seat is smarter
  than he is and fires anyway.  He's worth a Psychoframe.

  On 1.5 Kincaidu wonders where Zabiine is - he wants to settle that score too.

  On 2.0 Karas presses Dugachi to let him go to the front lines, which Dugachi
  permits.  Dugachi also tells Zabiine to be of some use to him, and then asks
  what his objective is.  It's the foundation of an aristocracy, and Zabiine
  madly figures that the power Dugachi is about to display is proof of his
  nefarious right to be at the top of the social order.  Zabiine is in fact
  overjoyed to be used by the strong, and figures that history will long
  remember Dugachi's deeds today.  Karas comes out and hails Tobia for making
  it this far as his pupil - it's now time for his final exam.  Kincaidu has
  nothing to say to Zabiine, other than that he's going to kill his ass once
  and for all today.  Dorel, if you've got him, says that should Kincaidu fail,
  he'll finish Zabiine off.

  If you have Kincaidu fight Zabiine, Zabiine will unstably ask why he's still
  here, saying that Kincaidu is already dead and claiming that dead men can
  do nothing.  When you off him, he starts babbling about how Dugachi promised
  to give him the world to aristocricize as he sees fit.  Kincaidu points out
  to him that the woman he claims is most suitable to rule that world, doesn't
  want to rule it: if the most suitable rulers don't want rulership, it means
  that those who want them to rule are unsuited for being ruled.  This
  evidently means aristocracy is inherently flawed...  (Oh, and Zabiine is
  worth a Biocomputer).

  When you take down Kalas, he congratulates Tobia on being the victor, and
  tells him, like the victor he is, to surpass Kalas.  He's worth a Hyper
  Jammer.

  Jire is worth a Gigagenerator.  He notes that the fall of his Zamus Gal
  means the failure of the Raflesia Project.  Dorel quite agrees, saying that
  aristocracy shouldn't be founded by such means.  He cries for the old blood
  to be laid waste, vowing to take up the ideals of Cosmo Babylonia.

  When you down the Jupitoris 9, the Jovian Fleet commander reports that its
  reactor has taken a direct hit.  He asks Dugachi for orders, and after a
  moment Dugachi says that _he_ will sortie: he can no longer count on his
  worthless underlings.  Tobia is very glad that Dugachi is toast, but all the
  bona fide Newtypes can still sense his hatred... very much alive!  Kincaidu
  realizes that this dude is very dangerous, and wonders why Dugachi wants to
  destroy the Earth so badly...

  What emerges is a giant mobile armor, of a sort your people haven't seen
  before.  In fact, seven of them all told, with nukes strapped to them to
  boot.  No doubt any one of them could easily pollute the world: you've got
  to stop _all_ these demons.

  When you off the fourth Dugachi, Tobia senses that something is wrong. He
  remembers the other Newtypes saying that Dugachi is a soul filled with
  hatred, and realizes that he can't feel hatred emanating from these mecha.
  He hastily tells everyone that the real Dugachi is still around somewhere,
  which the other Newtypes already know: a cold, dark Pressure is coming from
  somewhere nearby.  Your people figure out where he's really at, and Dugachi
  angrily tells Tobia not to get in his way.  Tobia demands to know if
  Dugachi is really no longer human, no different than some space monster from
  outer space - is he really not Bernadette's parent?!  Dugachi yells at him
  to get out of the way again, and Kincaidu can tell that this is the genuine
  article.  Just then, word comes in that Orphan is beginning to rise under
  its own will.  Will it drain all the Earth's Organic Energy??  Dugachi thinks
  it too is despairing of the Earth.  In any case, you've got three turns
  until the Dugachi's enter the atmosphere.

  Take out all the copies before the original for a Skill Point.

  Once you damage Dugachi past a certain point he starts explaining why he's
  doing what he's doing... or, tries anyway.  All alone!, he emphasizes, all
  ALONE he's come to make the Jupiter Sphere bigger.  Jupiter would be that
  big gas giant thingie incapable of making breathable air and whatnot.  He
  roundly accuses the Federation of withholding food, water, and whatever else
  they felt like, and says that FINALLY he's in a position to make Jupiter
  something like it's own nation.  Of course, those ideals made him leave his
  wife on Earth, pissing him off further.  Medically speaking at least, they
  are Bernadette's parents, and perhaps this all could have been averted if
  Dugachi simply hated his wife, but instead he loves his wife, loves the
  gentleness that only one raised on the rich lands of the Earth could have.
  This guy has ISSUES.  Tobia isn't quite sure how to respond to Dugachi's
  tirade, except finally to ask if that's "all" the reason it took to foment
  the war.

  If you have Amuro fight him, Amuro says that he understands why Dugachi broke
  ranks with Char: he doesn't want a renewal of humanity, only its destruction.
  Dugachi says that the scars on his heart are too deep to heal, but Amuro
  says that that's just being egotistical - and he won't let any egotistical
  bastard wreck mankind's future.

  When you take down Dugachi, he madly dreams of the Earth going down in
  flames.  Kincaidu, understandably peeved, informs Dugachi that he's not
  allowed to see even an illusion of such a thing, and smacks his ass around
  a bit more.  Dugachi is worth a Gravity Territory and the usual obscene
  amount of money and XP.

Zechs provides a bit of insight as to why Dugachi didn't just attack the Earth
with all 8 of his mobile armors at once: he hesitated to really wipe out the
Earth like he claimed to want to do.  Loving to the point of hate - both the
Earth and his wife... guess Dugachi was human after all.  Banjou notes that
Dugachi's undoing may have been his inability to trust others.  RIP and
whatnot.  Tobia seems genuinely happy that all this hatred and suffering were
in the final analysis a human's fault... he thinks that this must be one of
those tasks that humans have to accomplish before they can move forward into a
new age.  The [utterly nonexistent] remnants of the Jovian army then
surrender, and Vera declares the war with Jupiter over in her name.  Of course,
it's not quite time for her and Kincaidu to get their real names back...

Char takes the news of Dugachi's and the Jovian army's collapse calmly,
figuring that Dugachi was only human after all... and his soul was still
caught in the Earth's gravity despite being in Jupiter's gravity well [um...]
Char happily proclaims that it's all the more reason to free all those souls
from gravity so that such tragedies aren't repeated, and after a dubious pause
Nanai confirms that the Final Operation(tm) is still on despite the loss in
warpower.
 Apparently the plan requires some mysterious object (Orphan?) which has been
reported to be in action.  Char gives the order to all the troops to sortie
and destroy the Alpha Numbers in the upper atmosphere as the prologue to
plunging the Earth into nuclear winter.

Judou once again compliments Hamarn on living through the previous battle, and
she smirks and sniffs that she won't die until after settling the score with a
certain man.  She's fairly sure that Char should swing into action now that
Dugachi is kaput, fulfilling both his duties as commander of Neo-Jion and in
an attempt to put paid to everything in his past.  That would entail killing
all your people and making the Earth a dead world.  Hamarn then announces that
she'll be staying aboard this ship, drawing protests from some of the pilot
girls that they need more time to prepare their hearts.  Hamarn smirks and
says that she wants to try breathing the same air as Judou and Camille for a
while.  Amuro smiles too and says that she's quite welcome, cautioning only
that if she jokes too much she may make people jealous. ^_^

Meanwhile, Orphan is hanging out in the jet stream, having climbed faster than
expected.  Yuu wants to know why Orphan hasn't waited for the awakening of the
Beamlar - is the thing back to the old "drain the Earth's Organic Energy" bit?
Not according to Novus Noa at least...  While it seems unlikely that Gaybridge
is behind this, your people can't allow the possibility that Orphan _does_ use
all the Organic Energy on Earth to get completely out of the atmosphere... and
it will fall to Yuu and Hime to settle the score when the time comes.


Stage 53. Hito no Kokoro no Hikari ("The Light of People's Hearts")

Char is fretting over how the Alpha Aziel won't get retuned in time, but Nanai
figures that there should be no problem if they let Quess run its real battle
test.  Char notes that that sounds somehow mean-spirited, and Nanai asks if
Quess has complained about her to Char.  Nothing other than the usual "too
strict" childishness bit.  The plan is to send both Quess and Gyunei, along
with Gatou in the Neue Ziel, as the vanguard, despite the emotional
enveiglements Quess seems to have for Char.  Nanai for her part repeats that
she follows Char's orders, as long as Char will love her for it.  She asks
Char, or rather Caspar Daikun, if he's tired from the legacy of his father's
name, and Char claims that the burden is easier to bear with her here.  Char
is expecting the next battle to be his last, and Nanai tells him to rest while
she issues all the necessary orders...

Amuro meanwhile is busy being haunted by the ghost of Lalah Sun.  He angrily
tells her not to expect to be able to make him and Char hers.  She replies
that having ones consciousness exist for eternity is torture - all she wants to
do is watch the two of them.  Amuro calls that egotistical, and she says that
she wants to be between him and Char forever.  Char's likeness appears, and
Amuro yells at her to reject Char.  She says that Char is "pure", which doesn't
sit well with Amuro as he wakes from this vision.  Amuro has been having this
dream a lot it seems.  Chain calls in to summon Amuro to the anti-Orphan
planning meeting, and after a moment tells him not to strain himself just
because the final battle with the Neo-Jion is near.  Amuro thanks her for her
concern, but says that he won't begin to be able to die in peace until Char is
dead.  Chain tells him not to say such unlucky things, but Amuro is merely
speaking from his own resolve.

At the briefing, but Hime and Yuu are adamant that Orphan isn't an enemy.  The
rationale used by the Reclaimers is just drivel from people who want to flee
everything around them.  Yuu asks everyone to consider why Orphan needs the
Antibodies when it's clearly capable of space flight under its own power - why
it permitted the Reclaimers inside at all.  Quincy noted before that the
Grangers have emotions just like the Brains, and it could be that Orphan
somehow "needs" mankind.  In fact, Orphan itself should have emotions, and Yuu
has sensed that it should be possible to talk with it.  Hime in fact heard the
voice of Orphan as a crying little girl, and even saw it briefly.  She figures
it wants company, which Shishiou figures is what the B Plates were originally
supposed to be (though _what_ the B Plates really are nobody knows).  Orphan
is, in short, a little lost child in the big, bad universe.

The question is, how to stop the thing.  Even if you attack and cause the
Grangers to come out, and defeat them, there's no guarantee that the thing
would in fact halt.  Kenta is sure that that won't be necessary and that
talking to it will work, but Shingo notes that gambling on an adversary whose
thoughts you don't know is a pretty risky bet.  Remy asks Kiry if he plans to
fold, and he answers that who else but he is willing to do crazy stuff like
this.  Orphan has just now surfaced to the point you can see it, so it's up to
Yuu and Hime to negotiate...

Amidst the vastness that is Orphan your people spy "the Figure", a giant
woman-shaped thingie that's the center of Orphan's capabilities.  Just then the
Grangers emerge, and Bright testily tells Gaybridge that your people have no
intention to interfere with Orphan's departure.  BUT, if Organic Energy drain
occurs, your people will have no choice but to forcibly stop Orphan.  The Baron
tells your people that Gaybridge is no longer in command, courtesy of a coup
d'etat that has put Jonathan in command.  Kensaku reminds everyone that even
though the Reclaimers have been unified, Orphan is still in command of Orphan,
but Max claims that Jonathan is merely acting on the side of Justice by
circumventing Orphan's will.  Survey says: blast them all.

  When you take down Quincy, she vows to protect Orphan anyway.  Yuu points
  out to her that Orphan is brave enough to fly by itself.  Quincy says that
  Orphan needs her, which Jonathan encourages by calling her Orphan's queen,
  but Yuu tells him to butt out of family matters.  As the two of them argue
  over Quincy's identity, Quincy gets something of a splitting headache, and
  a Plate inside Orphan begins to Revival... but will it be a Granger, or a
  Brain?  Quincy manages to say that all she wanted to do is protect her
  family, and now upon feeling cast off by that family manages to Revive a
  Baron Zu, with shockingly poor taste in red paint according to Hime.  Isako,
  aka Quincy, has just made a *very* unwise decision, but Yuu isn't going to
  let it stand.  As Hime apologizes, Jonathan tells the Baron that this voyage
  across the galaxy will require a Queen, since no King can move the hearts of
  the Reclaimers.  This is just the sort of thinking the Baron had hoped for
  from this "knight" he's selected, saying that he had shared the same sort of
  painful memories on Earth that Jonathan had.  Both of them get to exchange
  manly friendship as their Baron Zu's take them away from their futile
  worlds.  Jonathan then comes out, having gone from "average headcase" to
  "stark raving lunatic extraordinaire".  Gaybridge is lamenting why this
  battle had to happen at all, and the Baron says that battles are sometimes
  handy ways of weeding out the lame-asses from the military.

  On 1.5, Amuro gets a very nasty premonition: Char is coming!  Banjou points
  out that there's very little point in doubting this, and Bright sensibly
  realizes that they'll probably show up once the Reclaimers are toasted off.

  When you have Yuu fight Jonathan, Jonathan tells Yuu that it's too late for
  whatever he tries.  Yuu tells Jonathan that all this time Jonathan has been
  running away from fighting and living on his own.

  Jonathan is worth an Organic Bit.  He can't believe is Zu would lose, and
  the Baron calls him back, saying that he can't afford to go down yet.

  Quincy is also worth an Organic Bit.  She tells Yuu that she's not going to
  stop until all the Brain Powerds are gone.  Hime tells her that she's
  thinking too hard: Orphan is the one who can manage to go things alone here.
  Hime says that Orphan doesn't need to be protected, but it would be sad to
  leave it all alone either.  Orphan seems to agree with Hime's version of
  events and not Quincy's, and actually _absorbs_ Quincy's Baron Zu.  What has
  happened to Quincy herself?  Well, the maniacal laughter isn't a good sign...

  Bright then orders all the Reclaimers, who are now leaderless, to disarm.
  Gaybridge is resigning himself to waiting for the Beamlar to reawaken before
  his voyage, but the Baron claims that Orphan's premature flight is also a
  reaction to the fact that human egos are too strong.  Gaybridge figures that
  the Alpha Numbers and their strong egos are in the way of spreading Orphan's
  will to a larger group of people, and believe that Orphan is upset at your
  people to boot.  Misako felt no hint of that despite being imprisoned
  within Orphan's "nerve center", but the Baron figures that that's just
  because Orphan chose her.  The Baron seems to be happy that the number of
  people, and human egos to supply Organic Energy, that can fit aboard Orphan
  are limited, and some gibberish argument ensues about how the Baron can't
  comprehend Gaybridge's desire to save mankind.  As the argument continues,
  the Baron himself comes out, about to add to his long list of sins by trying
  to kill off Yuu and his Nelly Brain before Orphan's eyes.  Kenta wants to
  know why the Baron is fighting so hard on Jonathan's behalf, and OVA has an
  idea, though she quickly passes it off as a bug in her programming.

  As you continue to chip away at the Baron's mech, Amuro observes that its
  power seems like that of the other Grangers who went berserk.  The Baron
  tells his mech that its powers are infinite - if not, it wouldn't have
  Revivaled to answer his dreams.  Yuu realizes that the Zu is in fact draining
  the Baron's energy, telling him that if he doesn't rein the thing in he'll
  be finished.  He doesn't care, so long as he can take down the Alpha Numbers
  and grant Jonathan's wish.  I swear these guys are bed-buddies or something,
  as Baron resumes prating about granting Jonathan's wishes.  Actually, it
  turns out that the Baron is Jonathan's *mother*, meaning they must be even
  more than bed-buddies [bed-buddies says you, incestuous mental patients says
  I ^^;;;]  Amuro tells Yuu that if he wants to save Anoir, he's got to
  concentrate and take down the Zu before it absorbs her completely.

  Anoir is worth a Cost Down.  Jonathan starts giggling like a cretin and
  wonders what his mother is doing as the Baron.  Anoir murmers about wanting
  to do something for him, wanting to be by his side, but Jonathan says it's
  too late: she's already deceived and betrayed him.  As she trails off with
  something about him being such a healthy child, Jonathan yells at her to wake
  up - he's still got a LOT to say to her.  Yuu suggests to Jonathan that he
  forgive his mother, but Jonathan tells him to butt out and fetches Anoir
  inside Orphan.

It seems the Reclaimers are done for, and Yuu really wants to fetch his sister
from out of Orphan, but Char shows up and puts that on hold.  He greets your
people, then tells his warriors that this is the beginning of the final battle
of the Neo-Jion.  The plan: wipe out all the humans living on the Earth, the
source of all conflict.  As your people note how many disparate stragglers
Char has gathered, Zechs realizes that Char isn't after your people - your
group is at best a hindrance to his true objective.  The problem is, even Zechs
doesn't know what Char is planning, since the plan to drop Axis on the Earth
is apparently kiboshed.  Bright orders everyone to aim at the Musakas, and
Amuro furiously demands to know what Char is scheming.

  One turn later, Yuu senses that the Musakas have nukes on them, roughly
  one tenth the amount that the Dugachis had.  The plan is to nuke the Figure
  and make Orphan crash back to Earth.  Orphan, of course, is FRIGGING HUGE,
  and Kosaku calculates that the thing crashing back to Earth would produce a
  nuclear winter.  Orphan has about used up all its internal energy: it can't
  run away.

  You get a Skill Point for fulfilling any of the victory conditions, which are
  a) shoot down Char, b) shoot down the Reuroola, or c) shoot down all the
  Musakas.

  When Amuro and Char fight, Char demands to know why Amuro can't grasp that
  the surfacedwellers are just pawns - Amuro responds that those "pawns" are
  living beings too.  Char offers a back-handed compliment of sorts: that Amuro
  won't stop fighting even at the end is the mark of a good rival.

  Char is worth a Psychoframe and HUGE amounts of loot.  Taking him down is
  also necessary to see the dread Nightingale in the next battle.

Unfortunately, the Musakas manage to make it to the Figure and detonate anyway.
 The Reclaimers think all is lost, and Char figures he's won, but Amuro tells
him that things aren't going to go his way.  Char watches incredulously as your
people go over and support Orphan.  If you can't stop it from crashing to
Earth, you'll at least slow it down.  Your people are displaying the very human
trait of "not giving up until the bitter end" - Judou furiously says that
UNLIKE Char, your people never assume that the future of people or of the
Earth will end.  Amuro vows to show Char the power of the humans he's turned
his back on.  Yuu tells everybody that Orphan needs something Organic, and all
your dudes concentrate their energies onto Orphan.  Char is astounded as the
fundamental energies of life coalesce into a ring of light: Organic Energy
incarnate.  Yuu takes the lead, vowing to save both Isako and Orphan.  Hime
tells Orphan that she's giving it her most beloved person, and Yuu finds
Quincy somewhere within Orphan.  He tells her that he's not here to hurt her
anymore, but rather to bring her back.  She says sadly that noone understands
her - noone wants to stay with her.  Yuu says that he's trying to give her a
chance to start over again, and to free herself and Orphan.  Yuu offers the two
of them instead of the B Plates, in exchange for Orphan leaving the world
alone.

Within Orphan's light, Jonathan tells his mother that this is a warm light, a
light that acknowledges everything they've done.  Char for his part still
can't believe that this light dwells in people's hearts - and is more amazed
yet that it's a light without fear.  Now he sees the light, so to speak, but is
still tormented by the notion that the bearers of this light, humans, are also
in the process of destroying the Earth.  He pleads with Amuro to understand
that...  Amuro _does_ understand, and says that that's all the more reason why
everyone on Earth must be shown this light.

Yuu seems to have pulled through okay, as has Hime.  The Alpha Numbers are all
fine but a bit weak from all the energy they gave Orphan.  Orphan seems to be
showing you all once again how beautiful the Earth is.  Mind you, there's
still people like Jonathan and his mother to save, and Hime asks Yuu if he
plans to give up just because his Brain can't stand up anymore.  Hime then
spots a vision of Nelly, exchanging greetings and telling Yuu that Nelly wishes
her and her Brain well...


Stage 54. Gyakushuu no SHAA ("Char's Counterattack")

It seems that Orphan has touched down in the Pacific Ocean, causing almost zero
damage.  It's a good bet that everyone in the world saw the gentle light
shining forth from Orphan which neutralized what would otherwise have been a
ludicrously large amount of energy: this is the answer that Cant has been
expecting.  Irene certainly can't dispute this, and Taiga calls up to make
sure that the Novus Noa is okay.  He has it head to where Orphan has spat out
the Reclaimers, wrapped in balls of light during the descent according to the
Alpha Numbers.  It looks like a good bet that Orphan doesn't want the
Reclaimers along on its journey to space - which would be because its voyage is
NOT any sort of "fleeing" the Earth.  The Novus Noa will handle mopping up the
Reclaimers, but the Alpha Numbers themselves aren't done fighting: the
Neo-Jion followed the Alpha Numbers down to Earth.  Your people must defeat the
Red Comet and his henchmen to prevent the Neo-Jion from simply making Orphan
their base of operations and setting the stage for a siege.  Things are in
enough of a mess that Taiga can't send any support, but he BELIEVES in the
Alpha Numbers' chances for victory.

Your forces aren't exactly mighty, but luckily the Neo-Jion aren't here in
that large a mass either.  Camille senses that these are the only Neo-Jion with
any remaining will to fight.  Nanai is apologizing for all the soldiers who
broke ranks and aborted their reentry, and Char figures it's only logical given
what everyone has just seen.  He knows full well that without his nukes the
only option left is to occupy Orphan.  However, he's not willing to admit
defeat, even to Amuro, and says that this is a person-to-person duel he's about
to do.  Gatou is already set to die here, and both Char and Banjou are agreed
that whatever the future may hold, this is the place for everyone to seize it
with their own hands.

  For a Skill Point, clear the map in 7 turns.  By this point, a mighty squad
  can do it in five.

  Quess, ever the annoying twit, doesn't get the message and ends up possibly
  becoming "another sacrifice" in the war between Amuro and Char.

  Gatou is worth a Minovsky Drive, an obvious loser of the battle between his
  ideals and Kou's resolve.  Kou in fact resolves to carry out those ideals,
  though in a different form than Gatou was thinking of...  Nina has a moment
  of sorrow for Gatou too.

  Amuro tries to point out to Char that the intelligencia are always trying to
  revolutionize the world - but because their ideas are fantasy and not
  reality, they can only proceed by extreme measures like this.  And even
  should the revolution succeed, the ideals behind it quickly get swallowed by
  the urge for power and the blaise masses.  This in turn alienates the
  intelligencia, who withdraw from government and the body public and become
  self-exiles.  Char yells back that he's not trying to revolutionize the world
  and points out that Amuro is talking like just a tool of the government.
  Why can't he understand what Char is trying to do now that he's seen tens of
  thousands of years into the future?!  Amuro fires back that that's merely
  one of countless possibilities - the future ought to be built bit by bit by
  everybody's hands.  Amuro furiously yells that he's neither in as much of a
  hurry as Char, nor as pessimistic about mankind's future.

  Once you down Nanai, Hamarn calls her a fool, but scowls and says that by
  sticking close to Char and trying to make his dreams come true, she may have
  been happier than Hamarn herself.

  Hamarn will angrily tell Char that it's all over, sneering that she'll set
  him free from the "abominable memories" he carries.

  Char, once all his "ideals" are proven to be false, is worth a Haro and
  what could be called a *preposterous* amount of money and XP.  Amuro tells
  Char to eject, and he asks your people why you aren't using your power for
  the world since you've got so much of it.  Amuro points out that your people
  ARE fighting for the world and for humanity, as Char should know quite well.
  He says that temporary victory isn't enough to lead the people, and Ryou
  demands to know if mass murder in the name of changing society as a whole is
  supposed to be somehow better.  Hiiro notes that that's not an act for the
  world or anything else except destruction, and Tetsuya adds that because he's
  not as smart as Char, he never gets lead to the wrong answer like Char does.
  Banjou says that your people have no intention of rushing to conclusions
  like Char, and are prepared to fight for years to come if that's what it
  takes.  Your people are sure that the fighting WILL eventually end, and in
  fact that you all _will_ end it... and even without being forced mankind
  WILL be Renewed, though it might take another millenia or several.  Judou
  demands to know how Char ended up this way after coming so far by your
  people's side, and Char finally wonders if he's been in too much of a hurry.
  He asks Lalah to give him an answer, as his mech explodes.

Now that all traces of the Neo-Jion are gone, Bright orders everyone to set
about picking up any survivors.  It's taking Bright a while to come to grips
with the notion that the war with Jion is now finally over, some 8 years after
it began.  The only really sad part is that the overall fighting isn't yet
over...  Your people get to ponder soberly whether the lot of you CAN in fact
lead humanity in the right direction, now that Char is dead and gone.  The
good news is that you've still got the Meganoids and Zondar to concentrate on
fighting.  Yuu tells Orphan that it's up to it when it wants to fly off to
space.  He thanks Orphan for striving so hard on the Earth's behalf, and even
saving the lives of his relatives.  He vows that your people will now defend
both Orphan and all the brave people who will one day fly to space in it.  Hime
asks Orphan to rest a while now.

Hamarn is now trying to decide what to do, telling Camille that with Char dead
she's got no reason to stay with you.  Judou points out to her surprise that
she has no reason to leave either, and Hamarn slyly asks if your people are
trying to keep her prisoner so as to gain leverage over the fleet at Axis.
Kouji is his usual bumbling self around the beautiful Hamarn, but Banjou and
the others point out that, having killed off Char, your people must now accept
some of the responsibility for mankind's future.  Hamarn asks if you all want
her to participate, and Banjou says of course - and suspects that she's
already got some ideas about that.  He asks her to keep those ideas inside long
enough to help your people win the rest of the war, and after a long pause for
thought she accedes.  She decides to order her fleets at Axis on standby while
she helps you wipe out the remaining enemies of mankind.  As she agrees with
Judou that it's now "us" instead of "you all", she thinks to herself that she
doesn't know if the light of Orphan is the "light of people's hearts" that Char
was seeking.  Therefore, she'll search for that light from within the Alpha
Numbers... in Char's place.


Stage 55. Kikai-jikake no Sekai Zenpen ("Mechanical World, Part 1")

Kolos is lamenting how her defeat by Banjou on Mars is bugging her more than
she expected.  Kolos recalls how her beloved Don once told her that with
Meganoid power, mankind could progress beyond the Earth, and live in peace for
eternity.  However, the Beamlar did not choose the Meganoids, to which Don
makes no discernible answer.  Kolos knows that in just a short amount of time,
Don's powers will be fully recovered.  Kolos expects the Zondar to buy them
the time they need, which she puts down to "feminine intuition" and says that
she'll do whatever it takes to help Don.  She asks Done to be patient just a
little longer, and promises to settle the scores for him.

Gou is thanking Daimoji for all his good work in space: all the assorted
enemies up there are now dealt with.  That includes Hamarn's forces, who
Banjou doesn't expect to do anything unexpected for a while.  The remaining
problems are the Meganoids and Zondar, though Pete recalls that neither group
has much cohesion.  He wonders if the remnants of the Mikeene pose a greater
threat, but Gou says that the scenario is about to change.  It seems that
someone is pulling the strings for those stragglers, causing them to engage in
basically random acts of chaos.  Almost as though that "someone" (presumably
_not_ any of the real Mikeene leaders, who should all be dead) is trying to
divert your attention.  Who else but the Zondar or Meganoids would be in a
position to do that?  Sakon knows that either the Zondar with their Zondar
Metal or the Meganoids with their mind control and mechanical know-how could
take over the half-living, half-machine Battle Beasts in this fashion.  Daimoji
wants to leave Orphan to help quell the chaos, but Gou says that that chaos is
precisely why you should stay put - the Meganoids and Zondar will SURELY show
up there.  After all, it's an almost unlimited energy source, AND a vehicle
capable of interstellar travel.  You don't have much to do but sit tight and
wait for the inevitable axe to fall...

Your people are unsurprisingly finding it tough to sit tight.  Mikoto has the
very sensible worry that the Meganoids and Zondar may join forces, but the
group consensus is that she's worrying too much. Garrison meanwhile is on the
scene with the full-blown high tea, which he merrily says is the perfect way
to stay calm under these difficult circumstances.  Banjou is about to dig in
when the alarm comes: the Meganoids are approaching, and in greater numbers
than ever before.  Banjou promises Garrison that he'll win this fight, and
tells him to keep the tea hot for him.  Garrison agrees, though he says that
when Banjou comes back it won't be tea, but a victory toast that he'll have
waiting.

The Meganoids show up, and they've got a variety of mecha from other enemies
under their control.  Kolos tells you all to cease resisting and hand Orphan
over, which of course isn't going to happen.  Banjou says that the Meganoids
don't deserve to be the ones flying off to space, and Kenta says that people
who have forgotten the gentleness of the human heart don't deserve either
Orphan or the Beamlar.  The trash talking ensues in earnest as both sides rush
into battle.

  [I must editorialize.  The previous climactic battle with Char was "not
  especially difficult", depending on just how much trouble Char's mech gives
  you (i.e. next to none in my case).  This battle is "PATHETICALLY easy",
  and can be finished easily in three turns with good play.  My god the
  Meganoids go out like the oversized bitches they are.]

  The first time you damage Kolos, she claims to see that there's no point in
  fighting you.  Your people point out that it's a little late and say that
  they aren't letting her run away, but she offers you a deal: she'll stop
  attacking mankind if you let her have Orphan.  Banjou flatly refuses, seeing
  Kolos' plan: to claim to be the savior of mankind when in possession of
  Orphan.  And, as admission to Orphan, a "lifeboat" for the Earth, Kolos would
  require everyone aboard to get Meganoidized.  Kolos tries to turn the tables
  on Banjou, demanding how he intends to save the world from its pollution and
  from the flaws in human nature - what's wrong with the eternal peace her
  way affords?  Banjou almost gives into her arguments until the rest of your
  people give him a sizeable pep-talk about how, unlike the Meganoids, the rest
  of humanity has yet to succumb to their own egotism.  Finally, Banjou
  responds to Kolos, saying that he won't see the Meganoids stain the courage
  Orphan possesses.  Besides, the "danger" mankind faces that Kolos speaks of
  is something that each and every human must confront, together.  The strength
  of humanity is drawing power today from the mistakes of yesterday.  Gai and
  Banjou then double-team a special version of their battle challenge.

  Once you get Kolos down to 50% of her HP, she stammers and asks Banjou why
  he won't understand Don's heart.  Banjou says that he will never forgive his
  father for creating the Meganoids, and especially not for killing his mother
  and older brother while experimenting on them.  He loathes how Kolos and Don
  claim the name of Meganoids for themselves and claim to be superhumans.
  Kolos claims that those superhumans are necessary in the age when mankind is
  about to venture to the stars, and Banjou says he'll prove that mankind can
  manage the journey _without_ such assistance.  He continues that that the
  Meganoids have no future: for example, Kolos has lost sight of everything out
  of her so-called love for Don.  Banjou will never become such a Meganoid, but
  just then a voice promises to punish those who would hurt Kolos.  It's Don,
  who says haltingly that while he hasn't gotten all of his powers and
  consciousness back yet, he's more than enough to hurt those who would hurt
  Kolos.  Don tells Banjou not to think that this will go down the same way
  as it did on Mars three years ago, and Banjou replies that if Don is
  different from what he was back then, so is Banjou.

  For a Skill Point, take down Don last.

  Kolos is worth a Super Alloy nu-Z.  As Kolos buys the farm, Don vows to
  return all the pain she's suffered on you all, casting Love.

  Don is worth a Soul of Iron.

Don's functions halt, and Banjou assures everyone that he isn't going to quit
here - as he's said before, he's got other enemies besides the Meganoids.
Just then, Mamoru senses a HUGE Zondar coming, larger than any before.  The
Four Lords of the Zondar show up, saying that they're all prepared for the
final battle with you, as soon as their Lord arrives.  Mikoto detects
something immense on the Z Sensors...


Stage 55. Kikai-jikake no Sekai Gohen ("Mechanical World, Part 2")

GGG HQ has traced the giant EI that just left Tokyo heading for Orphan (we
knew that).  Apparently this giant thing was lurking under Tokyo Tower: the
start of the Zondar Nightmare from two years ago.  This is the EI-01, which
crashed in Yokohama and then promptly disappeared.  That it's appearing now can
mean only one thing: the Zondar are going to try to make Orphan into a Plant
for them ("Oh! Jesus", Swan says).  Word just then arrives from Gou that all
the remote-controlled mecha the world over have begun attacking
simultaneously.  This not only proves who was controlling them all, but also
makes it impossible to send help to the Alpha Numbers.  Taiga tells his troops
not to falter: the Alpha Numbers do not know defeat, and everyone must
concentrate on what they _can_ do, while believing in the Alpha Numbers with
all their heart!

  It's beneficial to start Gai on the Eastern group, for reasons explained
  below.

  Not surprisingly, we find out that the Zondar have gone inside Orphan and
  are trying to take control.  Doing so will neatly let the Zondar suck out
  all the Organic Energy from the planet, AND power the mechanization that will
  follow.  The Four Lords are prepared to kill you all off before their boss
  shows up, triggering the usual round of trash talking on both sides.  Your
  people are so determined that Pizza actually apologizes for the "foolish
  and weak" bit, acknowledging you as true warriors.  Not that that will stop
  him from trying to kick your ass.  Unfortunately, at that moment Don revives,
  having absorbed the Zondar metal as his own blood and appearing at full
  strength.  It seems you've got ten turns until the Zondar infection of the
  Figure is complete.

  Take Pizza down with Gai.  Gai tells him that he's not the only one who can
  roam the skies, and Pizza says that he's a warrior, and wants to die as such.
  Except... his fight as a warrior isn't over yet!  He flees off the map...

  Taking out either Boronezu or Primada will cause the other one to scream out
  for their beloved and cast Love.  When you take down Primada, she'll go over
  to Mamoru and try to kill him for how cute he is.  When she touches Mamoru
  however, her body begins to crumble, and despite the fact that she's a
  Zondarian and not a Zondar-ified human, she actually returns to some humanoid
  form, lamenting her lost lover once more before dying.  Shishiou figures
  that she's been merged with the machinery too long to return to human form,
  and when Gai tells Mamoru to return to the ship Mamoru asks Gai to be sure
  to take out the bad guys so this never has to happen again.

  Even when you take Don down, he still seems to be alive, telling Banjou to
  taste with his body the punishment he deserves for causing Kolos such
  sorrow.  He yells out to Kolos to watch the end of the man who has caused
  her pain, but then a voice tells her child Banjou that he can win: the
  mechanical beings have granted Don nothing but temporary strength.  Banjou
  wonders if this is some illusion caused by his father as some sort of
  penitence, and Banjou yells out that he doesn't need his father's strength:
  he, and the Alpha Numbers, can win on their own!  Banjou then pulls off a
  super mighty Sun Attack, and tells Don to begone, along with the memory of
  his father.

Your people demand that the remaining Zondar come out and face them, lest they
drag it from Orphan themselves.  The Zondar seems amused that you all would
refuse the mechanical world and hurry towards your own deaths.  The Zondar
indeed emerges: over 300 meters tall.  This is without question the EI-01,
Pasdar.  As the trash talking ensues, Pasdar seems sure that he can beat all
your people, tired and weak at heart from all the fighting that's been going
on.  Of course, he's full of shit, but he DOES pull out something very annoying
in the process: he weakens all your machines with the standard "50 morale and
no magic" curse.  Shishiou explains that this burst of light, tuned to the
Zondar Metal, has caused it to reach its full power.  This is causing the G
Stones, which are an opposing energy source, to be neutralized: an energy war
of attrition.  Not only is the EI-01 able to draw reserves from Orphan (and
therefore the rest of the Earth), but if the powering down continues all the
Heros will run out of energy and die.

  For a Skill Point, take out EI-01 last.

  On the next turn, Pazdar makes as to emit the burst of light again, which
  will surely spell the end of all the Heros.  The Custos interfere however,
  and somehow absorb some of the Zondar Metal.  Looks like Pazdar wont' be able
  to use his little trick again.  Your people then ask the Custos to leave this
  to you - your people are determined to overcome your problems by themselves.
  EI-01 can't understand why you would turn down help, especially if it may be
  stronger than you yourselves, but of course it's all about the value of doing
  things yourselves.  Savalas then shows up to demonstrate that you're not the
  only ones fighting.  This looks like a futile gesture until Isabel speaks
  up, saying that she's brought something for you.  She tells you to listen,
  and you hear voices - the voices of all the various families and friends
  back at their respective ranches.  Everyone has words of encouragement and
  thanks, and it seems that the light of people's hearts has helped unify
  everyone after all.  All of this pisses off Pazdar to no end: he can't
  believe that the chaos he planned hasn't taken root.  Tetsuya, finally sick
  of being called a "weak-hearted one", informs Pazdar that he's sadly
  underestimated your folks.  Savalas, and the Custos, leave again, and your
  people are now free, though still locked in mortal combat with the EIs.
  The problem is that your people are still in bad shape, especially the Heros.
  Gai asks Taiga for the "eye for an eye" strategy: Bullet X.  Taiga is
  astounded, and Gai implores him to use it, saying that there's no other
  chance for victory.  Hiroshi realizes that whatever this thing is, it'll
  probably cost Gai his life.  Shishiou adds his support, telling him to
  believe in Gai and the other Heros.  Taiga agrees, saying that with all the
  miracles the Heros have brought about so far it's time to see if they've got
  one more left!  Bullet X will arrive in one turn, and your people resolve to
  hold out for that one turn no matter what it takes.  This may be the longest
  one turn of your lives.

  [Or not.  The bad guys should be no match for your ravening hordes, but hey.]

  Bullet X arrives, emitting a burst of light that puts your mecha back into
  operating shape for a change.  Moreover, this light has unsealed the energy
  inside the G Stones, causing it burst forth explosively.  This is power
  beyond the limit, the last and final Miracle Machine.  Gai goes over and
  smacks around EI-01, with Shishiou saying that now YOU are on top of the
  power attrition battle.

  If you had Gai take down Pizza before, he comes back to help you, saying
  that his duel with Gai isn't over and that, as a warrior, HE (not Pazdar)
  will chose the manner and place of his death.  He thanks Gai for reminding
  him of something important - his real name.  And he'll stake that real name
  and his damaged mechanical body on the fight against Pazdar... as well as
  his pride as a warrior.

Pazdar can't believe your people beat him, figuring that his mechanical body
is immortal.  He's wrong.  Pizza figures that this fight is over, and
disappears.  Looks like the world is saved.  OR, perhaps not.  In fact, it
seems that all your mecha have simultaneously burned out due to the influence
of Bullet X.  Your people have no regrets about your machines supporting you
until the very end... until you realize that all the GS-powered people are,
well, defunct.  See 47J for what happens next.  Mamoru revives not only Gai,
but all your other mecha as well.  This is not a "miracle", but rather the
power of the victory your people have seized for themselves.  The fight is
over.

Unfortunately, a certain someone has arrived to agree with you that your fight
is over.  It's the Custos, along with Irui.  Irui informs you all, the "Many
Swords", that your power has saved the world and opened the door to a new era.
Your people are quite shocked to see the true form of "Irui Gan Eden", the
"Guardian of the Earth"... also known as Mashiaf, the guardian of Paral.  She
explains that she assumed a child's form to enter among you and find out if
you have the proper kind hearts to protect the Earth.  She's seen you pass
your numerous trials and display your love and kindness, and has apparently
been watching over you via her Guardians.  She thanks you for becoming the
sword and shield to protect the Earth in her place.  As she finally repeats
that your fight is over, Kusuha can feel Irui's psych growing ever stronger.
She announces that it's now _her_ turn to protect the Earth...  by sealing it
forever.  This entails erecting a kekkai centered at Paral which will totally
isolate the Earth from the outside world, making it the last true paradise in
the universe.  She tells you that she is both your guardian, and now your
lord, for all time...

  You receive a Super Repair Kit and a Victory Feast...

Stage 57: FOREVER and EVER

THE FINAL BATTLE! *confetti* *ticker tape* *mass orders at coffin shops*

Gan Eden issues the order to seal this, the last paradise, the paradise of
those who have escaped calamity, which must never be lost.  In a new wrinkle,
Gan Eden and Irui seem to be two separate people...  Irui regards gentle
Kanaf, brave Keren, and innocent Zanav, telling them that their brethren's
roles are about to be over.  She expects your people wont' accede quietly, and
will be counting on their help when the time comes.  As she prepares to surface
Paral, the Gan Eden figure orders the "final program" to boot.

Taiga reports that at 4:34 Japan time, a roughly 1 kilometer long stone object
has appeared in the skies over the Northwestern Arabian peninsula.  Apparently
this is the "Garden of Paral".  It does seem to be a garden in midair, and
satellite photos show it to be full of giant statues and other ruins.  No duh
that it's the home base of the Custos.  The thing is quite stationary,
presumably preparing to erect its kekkai.  It's a delicate question of whether
Irui is friend or foe, but at least several other things about the Custos are
now clear.  For example, the Custos only appeared to you because their lord,
Irui, was among you.  As for why there are no legends or stories about them,
they were presumably asleep, or else sealed, inside Paral.  That they became
active at all must be connected to how you and they have a common interest in
defending the Earth.  The question then becomes, why did they attack the Good
Thunder?  This kekkai Irui spoke of is presumably some kind of immensely
powerful barrier, capable of keeping even subspace and extradimensional
travelers out.  Naturally, people inside couldn't get out without permission...
 and given that the Beamlar is supposed to help people get to outer space, it
now makes sense why the Custos should target the Good Thunder! Attacking the
aliens was a way of stopping their invasion from outside, and attacking the
Subterraneans is simply a form of defending the Alpha Numbers themselves.
Also, traveling with you allowed Irui to see the entire planet, planning for
its eventual disposition.  It seems reasonable to assume that Irui was nothing
more than a single terminal for the immense Gan Eden system.  The little girl
form was to affect you all mentally, and if Sakon is correct Gan Eden itself is
presumably some Earth Defense system made by some ancient civilization...  or
else is something sent from deep space to watch over and/or seal humankind.

Your people are slowly realizing their danger: you'll become enemies with Gan
Eden as soon as you try to venture away from the planet, which of course
everyone agrees is necessary for humanity to continue to thrive.  Your choice
is therefore this: be content to get shut away inside the kekkai, or wipe out
Gan Eden by your own hands.

The decision is to do the latter, though your pilots are understandably upset
with the prospect of having to go to war with Irui.  There's also the immense
power that the lord of the Custos must wield.  Hime wants to try to save Irui,
and Shishiou would too, but poses the question of what would happen if Irui
turns out to be nothing more than a fabrication calculated to arouse your
sympathies.  Your pilots still want to believe in Irui, and note that it would
kind of suck if all your efforts so far become null and void at the hands of
Gan Eden.  Amuro figures that Irui's real nature needs investigation at the
very least, which Vera and Kincaidu agree to.  Shishiou happily notes that you
are all hopeless for picking option number three, and everyone resolves to
fight Gan Eden (the Choukijin's destiny, Kusuha figures) and save Irui.  Time
to RUMBLE.

Before the rumbling starts however, Irui shows up to welcome you to Paral.
She says that momentarily she'll erect the kekkai, and you as her chosen
Swords will dwell with her forever in this paradise.  Amuro asks her who gave
her the duty of guarding the Earth, and upon receiving no response asks her
what Gan Eden is - where did she and the Custos come from.  She says that the
wishes of ancient people gave her form.  Gan Eden is an artificial god, and
Paral its treasury.  She explains that Gan Eden was created in ancient times to
defend against calamity from beyond the skies.  Looks like Shishiou's "defense
system" theory is right on the money.  She recalls a time of demons and
destroyers who threatened all that lived, saying that Gan Eden exists so that
the living could survive such dangers and exist in a sheltered paradise.  She
goes on to explain that the result of all the riches travelers from space,
Orphan, Beamlar, Getter Rays etc. have brought was the Balmar War, which put
the planet in danger of immediate destruction.  She says that all these
various wonderous powers have been accompanied by misfortune, pointing out that
you all are no exception.  Banjou impatiently says that you know all this
already, saying that this is precisely why your people are using their power to
protect themselves and all their comrades in space who love peace.  The
problem, as Irui sees it, is that your very existence seems to summon conflict.
 What if your powers should fail in battle, or if some force superior to you
should appear?  It would spell the end of this paradise, though your people
seem to feel that it's _impossible_ that anything should surpass their
strength.  Irui is not so sure, saying that your lives are, after all, finite -
what will happen after you are dead?  Camille counters that people's wishes
live on in successive generations, sure that someone will inherit your mission
after you all pass away.  Irui admits that she understands that too, saying
that she inherited Gan Eden's powers and will from someone called Augustus.
NOT the first sovereign emperor of *Rome*, but rather the first example of what
you all call "Psychodrivers", a "Kyounenja" - one who draws power from human
will.  This makes the main characters akin to Irui, and Amuro figures that Gan
Eden appears to be the "original" for all the Psychodrivers.  This gets
Viletta's attention as "another" example of... something or other.

Irui explains that once there was a person who used Gan Eden to bring together
the blood of Psychodrivers.  That person assumed the role of defending the
Earth in place of Gan Eden and its three servitors.  However, as time passed,
his bloodline grew weak... and his eventual descendents are Kusuha and Britto
(and the SRX folks).  Irui, as the strongest descendant, was selected as the
"maiden" of Gan Eden... meaning that she was NOT created by Gan Eden itself,
but a human just like the rest of you.  Suddenly, it sounds like you've got a
much better chance of success, until she tells you that she's doing this of her
own free will.  She tells Kusuha and Britto that their fearless determination
to fight to defend the world will eventually lead to greater misfortune.
Hence, she plans to seal the planet.  And she starts by blasting the hell out
of Little Barm and the colonies, plus the moon.  She says that such attacks are
only natural...since Gan Eden is ONLY meant to protect things actually living
on Earth.  Ooh, time to PAY like a motherfucker says I.  She figures that the
Spacenoids are no longer Earthlings, and doesn't plan on letting any more
Cranks Dugachis or Char Aznables appear.  She rejects Tobia's claim that not
all Spacenoids are bad, saying that every last one of them is an abnormality
that must be eliminated.  In fact, if you, her Swords, continue to resist,
she'll have to eliminate you too AND the horse you rode here on...  which means
that she's now blasting Orphan as well.

  You now have a choice: save Irui, or destroy Gan Eden.  The latter gives
  a somewhat "worse" ending, so I'm picking the former.

Kusuha vows to save Irui, meaning that Kusuha isn't content to be Gan Eden's
lackey.  It seems that Kusuha's promise to protect Irui also only applies to
the little girl version, and for a change Kusuha actually starts using her
Psychodriver powers to wake Irui from her stupor.  The little Irui is telling
the big one that Kusuha is actually a nice person, which is why the Tiger god
is giving her strength.  Big Irui can't believe little Irui is around, and
commands her to begone.  Since your voices are no longer reaching Little Irui
any more, the plan for now is to wipe out Gan Eden before it wipes out all the
people you've fought to protect.  Shingo notes that your people don't actually
need a guardian god anyway.  And even if Gan Eden _is_ a god, says Hiiro, if
it intends to disturb the peace... wait for it... wait for it...  he will kill
it.  [And the crowd goes wild!]  Irui then decides to take you all out,
appearing in person for the first time.  Amuro notes that in order for Irui to
recover herself, you've got to take down the Gan Eden system first.  Nobody has
any objections, and Kusuha finally realizes that freeing her is her destiny,
and the destiny of her mecha.  Everyone has to pitch in their support too.

  There is no Skill Point.

  If you recruited them, Rihitel and Hainel show up on turn three (apparently
  still alive).  Looks like the Guardian is going to have to fight more than
  just the Earth to put up her kekkai...

  Send Kusuha to Persuade Irui.  She says that putting up a kekkai isn't likely
  to fix anything - it's just an example of running away from scary problems.
  Doing so will eventually just ruin humans.  Humans grow by overcoming the
  various trials and hardships they face, moving forward in the process.  But
  what Gan Eden is trying to do will just make everyone come to a standstill.
  Now Kusuha understands why her Choukijin fled from Irui's presence - they
  realized that the kekkai would eventually destroy mankind.  Kusuha doesn't
  want to have their determination come to naught, nor the feelings of all
  the people she's fought alongside of.  That's why she's fighting to defeat
  Gan Eden and get Irui back.  Irui then begins to waver, with the Little one
  crying out for help.  She's effectively being pulled in half, and Gan Eden
  begins the moral suasion directly, as it has been doing throughout the game.
  Gan Eden tries to then force Kusuha and Britto to comply, but the Choukijin
  fully awaken, and offer to help directly to save the world of men.  The
  spirits of everyone who has ever piloted the Choukijin offer to help too.
  What you need now is for five of the "main characters" from each series to
  Persuade Irui too.

  On turn five, the Docougar folks show up to help to (violations of Bundorl's
  artistic sense and all).

  After the final Persuasion, Little Irui gets separated from Big Irui, and
  Gan Eden begins trying to erase her because she wants to return to your
  people.  She has but one request for you: destroy Gan Eden and her along with
  it.  Your people are dismayed that it's come to this, but Shishiou says that
  there's still a chance to save her, though it's risky.  What you have to do
  is halt Gan Eden and rescue Irui at the same time, much like with Puru and
  Four.  Time is short, but if you don't do this there's no future for mankind
  at all.

  Irui is a nightmare incarnate, but Like every nightmare she can be woken up
  from.  She is in fact emblematic of all the things that make this SRW game
  easier than many of the ones before it.  Were this the original Alpha (or the
  dreaded SRW3), Irui would retain her *500k HP*, but also have small HP Regen
  (making her nearly unkillable), in addition to some mysterious free full
  healing powers and a high-powered, multi-use circular map weapon.  In fact,
  aside from her mountain of HP and high hit percentage she's every inch a
  garden variety bump in the road to victory.  Perhaps out of a sense of mercy,
  the designers have made it very easy (well, from my POV anyway) to simply
  run her out of energy.  When _that_ happens, you can have your way with her
  as though you were playing the original To Heart video game and not watching
  the animated version.  In any case, just exercise a little Morale management,
  and remember that if some of the bench-warming, Gatorade-refilling, headset-
  cold-hording cannon fodder this battle begs you to bring along should happen
  to get shot down in battle, all your remaining squads get a Morale Point
  apiece.  Hey, their ejection seats are all in good working order.  Just an
  observation.

  Just be patient and play your game, and you WILl prevail!

When you strike the final blow, Irui thanks you all, saying that she can now
finally sleep.  Not surprisingly [to me], Paral begins to crumble, and Irui
tells Kusuha to stay back.  She says that if she is removed from Gan Eden now,
all the accumulated psych would explode forth and enclose the world in a
psychic kekkai.  She plans to use what strength she has left to neutralize that
psych, and go to sleep along with "her".  Does this mean that your people's
actions are all in vain?  Not at all, since you saved the planet from the curse
of its artificial god.  She tells Kusuha not to be sad, saying that she's got
to pay for the sins that Gan Eden has committed... and give the planet back to
you all.  She's glad she met you all, glad that she learned about the bravery
needed to protect the things one cares about, and about love...  She asks you
at the end to let her fulfill her duty - her duty to protect the planet.
Daimoji yells for all of you to retreat, telling you not to make her resolve
end up in vain.  Your people pull out, but Kusuha can't bear to see Irui lost
like this.  She's got her own promise to keep, and reemerges in her mech - and
she's actually used her head enough to think of using her own power and
Britto's to restrain Gan Eden's energies.  Viletta doesn't think she can manage
it, but Kusuha says that she'll never know until she tries.  As explosions
rage, the Choukijin eject the two Psychodrivers, telling them "farewell".  This
is a good thing, since there is a VERY large explosion...

At Preventer HQ, Isabelle has just finished typing up her story.  Or what she
can of it - there's too much for her to summarize properly.  Beltorchika tells
her not to rush things - it's only been a week after all.  Isabelle responds
that that's the point: timing is everything where accuracy is concerned.  Lady
then breaks the news to her that the Federation has decided to censor most of
the information pertaining to the war.  Hayato can understand the government's
reasons, though he doesn't buy into them, saying that there's a lot of things
that the public needs to here.  That's why Isabelle plans to keep writing,
against the day the truth can finally be told.

Gou then announces the dissolution of the Alpha Numbers, returning them back
to their previous state and their new missions.  That includes repairing the
Colonies, getting rid of space debris, terraforming Mars, etc.  When Daimoji
asks what is to be done with Mother Vanguard, Gou "professes" no knowledge of
it.

Tobia gets all the Gundams he wants, though Kincaidu tells him to leave the X1
behind for the Lond Bel to gather data from.  Tobia figures that, since he's
presumed dead, and the Mother Vanguard is presumed not to exist, he may as
well lead a life of space piracy.  Just kidding.  He actually plans on
accompanying the Crossbone Vanguard into space to see once more with his own
eyes if people can coexist with space.  Bernadette will be going along too, and
might just be suitable as the new captain.  Umon wonders what that leaves for
him to do - chief science officer seems good, given his knowledge of mobile
suits.  As for Kincaidu, he plans to get out of his pirate getup and hike the
mountain trails, tasting the rain in the air, hold the woman he loves close,
and then think about the question of why humans exist.  Cecily and Seabook tell
each other a VERY long-postponed "welcome back".

Elsewhere, the crew of the Taikuu Maryuu are about to get VERY busy, with
basically no vacation, using their miraculous ship in all kinds of helpful
jobs all over the Federation.  Not that Sanshirou is going to back away from
his part in all of it.

The Gundam pilots don't get much of a break either, although at least they'll
be on the Earth for a while, helping repair Rasa from that little itsy bitsy
rock that got dropped on it @_@  Kou wants to go there and think long and hard
about what Gatou and Char's actions have brought to mankind.  As for Camille,
he thought about quitting MS piloting altogether, but decided to stay in the
Lond Bel... if for no reason than to forestall Judou and the others trying to
stay in his place.  Additionally, he doesn't want to regret not being able to
do anything when the inevitable changes to the world arrive.  Keith notes that
you all will be split up, but Four points out that it's not as though you'll
never see each other again.  As farewells are said, Camille says he'll try to
take the time to think slowly and carefully about what the Light you all saw
means to mankind.

Kazuya has good news for Erika - Little Barm's propulsion systems have been
repaired.  It seems that, with a little help from the Zaylans, they are the
ones who will be terraforming Mars into an inhabitable planet.  Erika can only
imagine her father and brother's joy at the news that their dreams are
becoming reality, and Kazuya ponders how both Rihitel and Hainel haven't been
seen since the final battle.  Erika is sure that he's watching over the two of
them, somewhere, and Kazuya is glad that his father and Rion, and all the
other peace-loving folk made this day possible.  Erika thanks Kazuya for giving
her the courage to go on fighting, and Kazuya playfully points out to her that
the struggle is still on going.  Kazuya hopes that the terraforming can be
over quickly, so that he can... propo-  But Margarette interrupts right then...
ah well, what are friends for ^_^;;;

The Voltes team is slated to go to Mars too, while the Combattler team will
help to guard Little Barm.  But once the terraforming is settled down,
Ken'ichi wants to go to Boazan with his father and Dange, hoping to free that
planet from the tyranny of Zu Zanbajil.  The Combattler team will therefore
stay on Earth to defend the peace, but Hyouma promises to come warping to
Ken'ichi's rescue if he ever needs him.

Kouji now has something he's curious about: where the hell did the Getter
Rays, Beamlar, and Gan Eden come from?  That's why he and Michiru are going to
be going to the Space Development Group.  The other super pilots are surprised
that Kouji has such an intellectual interest, though Tetsuya and Kenzou both
tell him to go with a clear conscience, leaving the Earth's defense to them.
Besides, they'll just be at G Island City, not some foreign country.  And
besides, Tetsuya has Hiroshi to help him out.

Even Hayato's difficulty talking to his parents seems to be lightening up some.
 Just then Ryou's father shows up, saying he's got something to say to him
directly: his mother's illness has turned around, and she's no longer in any
danger.  He also thanks Ryou for protecting the future of all the kids on
Earth.  Ryou says there's no need for thanks - that's simply the path he
walks.

The G Boys won't be throwing their Gundams into the sun this time: they'll
presumably be needed until people truly cast off fighting.  Trowa figures that
day may not be so far off, given how many people saw that light.  Each of the
G Boys will split up and carry out his own mission, but Hiiro has accompanied
Riliina to G Island City.

Orphan meanwhile is simply floating on the Pacific Ocean, having apparently
chosen to live alongside you all.  There's a rumor that it may solve the
world's energy crisis, but you'll have to wait for the (former) Reclaimers to
figure out the answer to that one.  Hime runs up to say that preparations are
complete to head to G Island City to see "that child" off.  Whoever it was
said that they don't need a sendoff, but don't count on your people to honor
that.  Heck, even the Brains want to go.

Judou is late getting up, and is hastily getting ready to go at his sister's
insistence.  Judou had called her here from Shangri-la to see his friends off,
and she asks if he too will be going on some journey at some point.  If so,
she promises to send him off with a smile.  Judou is grateful for this, but
says that he'll consider the Junk House with Beecher and the others for a
while longer.  He figures there's more to be done before heading off to space,
and suspects that Hamarn feels the same.

Mamoru hurries off, leaving his mother to wonder what kind of friends he's
seeing off to space and worrying that one day he will do the same.  His father
feels the same, but says that when that time comes they've all got to see him
off with a smile...

The GGG folks are reporting that the Good Thunder is in place.  No enemies are
to be seen, though there's a lot of old friends... not all, however, since
everyone has their own duties to do.  Shishiou has rigged up a special
broadcast though, so all the former Alpha Numbers will be able to see this,
another "small step" for man.

Kenta feels someone calling him in the supposedly empty space beyond the
Pleiades.  He wants to see this world with his own eyes, and nobody is going to
stop him anymore.  The Goshogun pilots see him off, passing along a farewell
message from the Docougar folks as well.  The kiddies say their goodbyes too,
and Kenta tells Mamoru, who's blushing a bit over Hana, to be sure to introduce
her next time as his "girlfriend".  Among the well-wishers is none other than
IRUI, who is finally able to be up and around a little with help from Volfogg.
It's time for Kenta to go, but he won't say "farewell" on the theory that he'll
see everyone again later.

Your people muse that Kenta is the representative of all your human hopes, and
new possibilities.  Banjou is forced to wonder if the rest of you watching his
departure have advanced any, and Yuu figures that Orphan's acceptance of you
all is proof that you have.   Hiiro adds that humanity as a whole has just
slipped another of its moorings.  Nothing for it but to face whatever lies
ahead with courage.

As the Lond Bel dock, Amuro thinks about Gan Eden.  Rather than being a shield
for mankind, he thinks of it as a chain around their ankle.  He's been
pondering for a long time why such a tremendous thing had stayed hidden
through all the planet has been through, and yet appeared now.  Evidently
humans didn't reach its warning threshold of maturity before, but now they can
produce Light from their hearts and even get Orphan's cooperation.  Though he
hates to admit it, Char's actions seem to have been the trigger for mankind's
advancement after all.  And it's the Lond Bel's job to make sure the sort of
calamity such powerful people could cause gets averted.  Heck, Irui was saved
after all - anything is possible.

Our Heros(tm) are going to the Tesla Raihi lab to continue research on the
Choukijin.  Kusuha hasn't given up on her dreams of becoming a doctor, but she
wants to know more about the Ryuu-Ou-Ki and Ko-Ou-Ki, thinking of it as her
memorial to the two of them for saving her.  In fact, she believes that
they're still alive, to appear again if the world is ever threatened.  Viletta
and Retzer plan to split off here, and Viletta asks the two of them to look
after Irui, since that's what's best for her.

 - ROLL CREDITS -

THE END, and make sure to save your game so you can replay later if you want
to.