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Space Colony Elpis

Adler: Using the hotline, Major Siebel? This better be good…

Siebel: Sir, I’d like to ask for a favor.

Adler: First you let Columna fall, and now this? The DC forces on Earth suffered because of your failure.

Adler: I want you people to focus on the Geneva descent…Operation Huguenot is commencing soon.

Siebel: …I understand. But, before that…

Siebel: I’d like you to send me some power to steal Columna back.

Adler: What? Hmph, go on. Tell me what you have in mind.

Hiryu Kai – Mess Hall

Excellen: So it turned out OK. I was still worried though.

Kyosuke: Same here.

Bullet: Are the satellites operational yet?

Excellen: Thanks to Major Gilliam, half of them are.

Excellen: That should give the EFA some advantage over the DC, right?

Kyosuke: I’m still wary, but I won the bet with Tasuku.

Excellen: You were in quite a slump…how many did you lose?

Kyosuke: Who cares? I won when it counted.

Excellen: And you lost 100 times before that.

Kyosuke: …..

Excellen: …So. High roller Kyosuke, what’s next?

Kyosuke: We only got back a space station, and some satellites.

Kyosuke: That doesn’t change much.

Bullet: You’re right. It’s not like backup is coming from Earth…

Bullet: But, at least we helped out allies.

Kyosuke: Still, it doesn’t help anything staying in Columna…

Kyosuke: There must be an explanation for the UCC’s actions.

Kyosuke: Some sort of reason they’ve let us live this long…

Kyosuke: What if this is camouflage for another operation?

Bullet: …Are you saying that…they lured us here?

Kyosuke: Yeah. If they anticipated our movements, and they wanted to slow us down…it makes sense.

Kyosuke: (…But, only a little…)

Excellen: My, is it that time already? I gotta go.

Excellen: Kyosuke…if I don’t come back…you’re in charge.

Kyosuke: Huh…? Where’re you going?

Excellen: Radha’s teaching me yoga beauty poses.

Bullet: B-Beauty…

Excellen: It’s pretty rough…on the bones.

Kyosuke: …And you’ll still do it?

Excellen: Of course. Katina and Viletta are doing it too.

Bullet: Viletta is one thing, but I can’t believe Katina’s going along…y-you sure you’ll be alright?

Excellen: Am I sure? No, but isn’t it worth the risk? See ya!

*Excellen leaves*

Kyosuke: …I’ll never understand women.

Bullet: Uhhh…I’m not Tasuku, but I have a bad feeling…

Hiryu Kai Bridge

Eun: Distress signal detected. It’s from an EFA T1!

Lefina: T1…A Taussendfussler?

Eun: Yes ma’am! I believe it’s a transport ship from Aviano Base!

Eun: It was on its way to deliver supplies to us…when it was attacked by the UCC.

Sean: Has that been confirmed?

Eun: The ID code is definitely EFA.

Eun: But, we weren’t informed of this by Geneva HQ.

Sean: Hmm…Very suspicious.

Lefina: But communications with Geneva haven’t been established. Maybe we’re overreacting?

Sean: I just don’t think the EFA would be able to afford to send us help…

Lefina: Regardless, we’re saving the T1! All units, stand by!!

Chapter 16: Sealed Curse

Columna Exterior

T1 Pilot: Th-This is T1! R-Requesting assistance! They caught me!!

*Enemies appear and attack the T1*

T1 Pilot: A-Ahhhh, the thrusters!! H-Help me!!

Eun: The T1 is immobile! At this rate…!!

Lefina: We’ll send out the PTs to protect it! Deploy immediately!!

Lefina: …..

Lefina: !? Why haven’t they sortied!?

Eun: Katina, Excellen, Radha, and Viletta can’t fight!

Lefina: H-Huh!?

Sean: Hmm…I wonder if…

Lefina: Then, deploy whoever’s available!

*Prep Screen, Kyosuke, Bullet, Tasuku, Gilliam, and Russel deploy*

Tasuku: P-P-Protect the ship and Columna with only five members!? Talk about a bet with terrible odds…

Tasuku: Man, this battle’s gonna rock!!

Russel: I-It will?

Bullet: (…Hm…? Something’s…wrong with that T1…)

Kyosuke: What’s wrong, Bullet? Focus on the mission.

Bullet: ( …What’s this strange feeling…?)

Russel: S-Still…Columna is a big target to protect…

Gilliam: Faster units go after the enemies after the ship.

Gilliam: But, don’t let anyone enter Columna. Be alert.

Kyosuke: Roger.

Gilliam: Let’s go!

*Columna highlighted, Conditions shown, Battle starts*

*Turn 3 Enemy Phase OR Destroy all enemies, Reinforcements appear*

Eun: More enemy units!

Bullet: C-Crud! That last squad was a decoy!!

Siebel: *chuckle* So few units? How lucky for me.

Kyosuke: You again. What do you want this time?

Siebel: What else? To reclaim Columna.

Kyosuke: Go ahead and try.

Kyosuke: (…He’s not one to fight fair…he’s got something up his sleeve.)

Siebel: All units, charge! Take back Columna!!

Russel: Th-There’s too many of them…w-we need backup…!

*Excellen, Viletta, Katina, and Radha deploy*

Excellen: Sorry to keep you waiting!

Katina: Ugh…that was a painful experience.

Kyosuke: You’re late…! What were you doing!?

Excellen: Weeeeell…we passed out.

Excellen: And definitely NOT in a position we’d want anyone to see.

Russel: Lt. Katina!

Katina: Hey, Russel. I’m back from the depths of hell!

Russel: D-Depths of hell..!? What were you doing?

Radha: I-I’m sorry…It was my fault…

Tasuku: Don’t tell me…yoga again!?

Excellen: Hey hey! It did wonders for my skin…

Excellen: And we came at the right time, so everything’s A-OK?

Kyosuke: Does it work that fast?

Bullet: I-I wouldn’t know, sir…

Kyosuke: …Whatever. Just make up the time you missed.

Excellen: You got it!

Viletta: …..

Excellen: That’s my ame soeur, keeping it cool.

Viletta: (It hurts too much to talk…)

*Conditions updated, Battle resumes*

*Next Phase*

Radha: (! What is this feeling…!?)

*T1 focused*

Radha: (…Dread? No, it’s not that…)

Viletta: Something wrong, Radha?

Radha: N-No…nothing.

Viletta: …..

Bullet: (…I still sense that feeling…)

Bullet: (It’s telling me…we shouldn’t allow that in Columna…)

*Battle resumes*

*Damage or Destroy Siebel’s Peregrine*

Siebel: *chuckle* It’s over now.

Siebel: All units, pull out. We’ll never see them again. *chuckle*

*Siebel escapes*

Eun: The enemy forces have withdrawn!

Lefina: And the T1?

Eun: Still intact. It’s requesting assistance.

Bullet: Lt. Kyosuke…

Kyosuke: That guy…he sure pulled out quickly.

Radha: …..

Kyosuke: (Too quickly…)

Lefina: We’re loading the T1.

Radha: Captain, wait!

Lefina: What’s wrong?

Radha: That transport ship…don’t load it yet!

Bullet: (! She senses it too!?)

Lefina: Wh-What do you mean?

Radha: I can’t explain why…but…I just feel that…we should check it out first…

Bullet: I…I agree.

Katina: Hey…what’s up, Bullet?

Katina: Don’t you realize that ship’s got valuable supplies?

Bullet: B-But…

Tasuku: I’m with Bullet and Radha. Better safe than sorry, right?

Gilliam: Captain…It’s very possible the T1 is an enemy trap.

Gilliam: Viletta and I will investigate.

Lefina: …Very well. Viletta, Major Gilliam…you two inspect the T1.

*T1 cockpit*

T1 Pilot: Th-Thank you for saving me.

Gilliam: No, thank you for bringing us those supplies.

T1 Pilot: U-Um…aren’t you check the contents?

Gilliam: Despite the risks, you came all the way out to Columna…we trust you.

T1 Pilot: (…Heh, what a sucker. I’ll get rid of him now…)

T1 Pilot: (Die…!!)

*Gunshot*

Gilliam: …..

T1 Pilot: Wh-What! H-He dodged it!?

Gilliam: …Just as I thought.

T1 Pilot: Blast! You feigned ignorance!?

Gilliam: …I didn’t want to waste time interrogating you.

Gilliam: So, I played along.

Viletta: Major Gilliam…

Gilliam: What did you find?

Viletta: A wonderful present.

Hiryu Kai Bridge

Lefina: ! A bio-chemical weapon…?

Gilliam: Yes. There was a tank of poison gas in the container.

Sean: So if an attack from the outside fails…try an attack from the inside.

Sean: Still…contaminating the air is taboo to the colonists.

Sean: If Miss Radha hadn’t noticed it, we would’ve been killed.

Gilliam: …There’s no doubt that T1 was stolen.

Gilliam: Also, considering that the gas was launched with the T1 from Earth…

Gilliam: This mission must have been done without the UCC top brass’s knowledge.

Gilliam: Siebel acted on his own accord…he must have really wanted the credit for our demise.

Sean: I see…the UCC isn’t a monolithic organization.

Lefina: …..

Space Colony Elpis

Sanger: You imbicile!

Siebel: Urgh…!

Sanger: Why would you resort to those tactics!?

Sanger: Do you think that’s something a colonist…no, any man should do!?

Siebel: Outsider…! How dare you hit me…!

Sanger: Silence! Don’t tell me you forgot the Elpis Incident from two years ago!!

Siebel: Tch…!

Sanger: You’re a disgrace! That’s no way to win a war!

Siebel: Sanger…the nerve…! I won’t forget this…!!

Hiryu Kai

Radha: I’m sorry, Excellen…

Excellen: No, thanks to you, we were saved…we’re even now.

Excellen: Still, how’d you know that ship was suspicious?

Excellen: Radha…are you a psychic?

Radha: Oh, of course not. Kyosuke noticed it too, right?

Excellen: With him, it’s just instinct. But, Bullet…

Radha: (I’m just perceptive…I don’t have that “power”.)

Radha: (But, Bullet might…)

Bullet: ! So this is where you were!?

Excellen: Uh, Bullet? Just so you know…you and I aren’t like that, okay?

Bullet: L-Like what…?

Bullet: …Hey, this is not a good time for bad taste jokes!

Excellen: …Sounds like you’re serious. What’s wrong?

Bullet: The UCC main fleet has left the L4 sector, and is headed for the Earth!

Radha: !!

Sealed Curse End

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