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Elpis Space Colony – Hiryu Kai Bridge

Eun: …We’ve landed on Elpis’ docking bay.

Sean: *whew* We can finally get some rest.

Eun: Captain, President Midcrid is here.

Brian: Hello, Captain. Sorry for making you come all the way to Elpis.

Lefina: It’s Ok…

Brian: I want you to defend the Colony for a short time.

Brian: We’ll pick up the tab for the Hiryu Custom’s repairs.

Lefina: Thank you very much. What is the state of affairs in the colony?

Brian: No real problem here. Or in any of the other nine colonies. Thanks to me, that is. Hahaha!

Brian: …Doesn’t really help if I say it.

Sean: What about the UCC?

Brian: Most of them have disarmed, and are waiting for the EFA’s decision.

Brian: But, it seems a number of soldiers are refusing to return.

Lefina: What will become of the UCC?

Brian: It will most likely fall under the EFA’s control again.

Sean: Hmm…Back where it came.

Brian: Yes. Maier ordered everyone to surrender in the case of his death.

Lefina: …Mr. President, what were his true intentions…?

Brian: We’ve concluded that…

Brian: He wanted to instill a sense of danger in everyone.

Lefina: Wasn’t there another way other than rebellion?

Brian: Not likely…the EOT Council not only hid the existence of the Aerogaters…

Brian: But they were going to surrender to them, too.

Lefina: ! Is that true…!?

Brian: Yes. That’s why they tried to hold talks in Antarctica.

Sean: …So that’s what they were trying to accomplish by talking to the Aerogaters…

Brian: Publicly, it was a peace talk with Albert Grey…

Brian: But I wasn’t fooled. They were trading the military and the EOTI for their lives.

Sean: I see…but the Granzon destroyed the meeting hall…

Sean: And the EOTI reformed into the DC, a party that stood opposed to both the Earth Federal Government and the Aerogaters…

Sean: And declared war against the both of them.

Brian: Right. From what Dr. Bian found in Meteor 3 on Aidoneus Island…

Brian: He was against the aliens from the start, and Maier sympathized with his cause.

Lefina: Then, if the talks at Antarctica had succeeded…

Sean: By now, Earth would be occupied by the Aerogaters.

Brian: Dr. Bian and Cmdr. Maier looked for a means to fight them…

Brian: That was the Hagane and all of you.

Lefina: …..

Brian: Perhaps, that’s why Major Sanger Zonvolt joined them…

Brian: To further train you all.

Lefina: …..

Brian: Either way, the war was intended from the start.

Brian: For the most part, the primary EFA bases are intact…

Brian: The DC also refused to attack any major cities.

Lefina: Come to think of it, Cerevis City wasn’t…

Brian: Dr. Bian and Cmdr. Maier caused the war with a second war in mind.

Brian: Now, all that’s left is…

Sean: The remaining DC members who didn’t believe in the cause…

Brian: And the Aerogaters, who haven’t shown any movement yet.

Hiryu Kai – Briefing Room

Tasuku: Hm? What’re you two doing?

Excellen: Wah! K-Kyosuke!

Bullet: Huh!? Oh! Ah! I-I’m sorry to have interrupted!

Kyosuke: …Don’t listen to her. What does it look like we’re doing?

Excellen: Confessing our true feelings to one another…right?

Tasuku: …That doesn’t seem to be all a joke…

Kyosuke: …Did you say something?

Tasuku: N-No! So, Lieutenant…what exactly ARE you doing?

Kyosuke: Researching Meteor 3.

Bullet: The one that hit Aidoneus Island…

Kyosuke: Yeah. This battle was caused by that meteor…

Kyosuke: Thought I’d find the reason why the DC had their HQ there.

Bullet: Is there something suspicious?

Kyosuke: An island in the South Pacific…not a very practical location for a military stronghold.

Tasuku: Isn’t it a perfect hideout for villains and thugs?

Bullet: The DC’s predecessor, the EOTI, was formed to research Meteor 3…

Bullet: Maybe it was only natural that their base was on Aidoneus?

Kyosuke: …..

Excellen: But, the only info on Meteor 3 is a brief news report.

Gilliam: Of course. The EOT Council covered it up.

Bullet: …You know something, don’t you, Major Gilliam?

Gilliam: …The EOTI found that Meteor 3 was artificially made.

Tasuku: Made!? It’s not just a lump of rock!?

Gilliam: Yes, Meteor 3 looks like a 100-ton boulder.

Gilliam: But…what would happen if a meteor that size hit the Earth?

Kyosuke: …At the very least, there’d be a huge tsunami…

Gilliam: But seven years ago…nothing like that happened.

Excellen: Let’s see…now that you mention it, there wasn’t any damage…

Gilliam: The reason for that is…Meteor 3 decelerated using a gravitational device.

Tasuku: D-Decelerated!?

Excellen: Wow! That’s really considerate of Mr. Meteor.

Bullet: Wait, gravitational device…isn’t that…EOT…

Gilliam: That’s right. Extra-Over Technology…EOT, alien technology.

Gilliam: And other things, like Tronium…were found inside Meteor 3.

Tasuku: Who sent Meteor 3 to Earth…?

Gilliam: Most likely the Aerogaters.

Kyosuke: …Major, what’s the situation on Meteor 3?

Gilliam: According to the Hagane crew on Aidoneus Island…

Gilliam: It’s being held in place by gravity anchors.

Kyosuke: (…Bolted down, huh?)

Kyosuke: (Could Dr. Bian…in order to ‘monitor’ Meteor 3…)

Kyosuke: (Is that why he based the DC on Aidoneus…?)

Chapter 20: Private Eyes

Space

Russel: Octo 2 here. Nothing unusual in Sector L4, Area B27.

Katina: …Alright, Russel. Let’s head back to Elpis.

Russel: Roger.

Russel: It’s so quiet. I can’t believe there was ever a war.

Katina: …It’s unnerving. I have a bad feeling.

Russel: Not again…and what if something comes out?

Katina: If it’s an enemy, I’ll destroy it…that’s all.

Russel: You say enemy, but…

Katina: Look. Not all the DC and UCC have surrendered, y’know?

Katina: Plus…

*Aerogaters appear*

Katina: There ya go! We still have the main dish!

Russel: A-Aerogater bugs…!

Katina: Looks like they’ve finally started moving…took them long enough.

Russel: I’m calling the Hiryu for reinforcements!

Katina: Ha! I’ll finish them before help gets here!

*Conditions shown, Battle starts*

*Turn 2 Enemy Phase, more Aerogaters spawn*

Russel: More of them…! A-At this rate…

Katina: Didn’t I tell you before? I’ll kill them all!

Russel: M-Maybe..we ought to retreat and meet up with the Hiryu…

Katina: What are you saying!? We’ll lead the bugs straight to Elpis!

Russel: ! Oh, yeah…

Katina: Hold out unit the Hiryu arrives! Got it?

Russel: Yes ma’am!

*Battle resumes*

*Turn 3 Player Phase, Hiryu arrives, Prep screen, Units deploy*

Excellen: Sorry to keep you waiting!

Katina: You’re late!

Tasuku: C’mon, I was on patrol somewhere else.

Katina: I’m gonna punch you until you cry, Tasuku!

Tasuku: Th-Then…I think I’ll start crying now.

Lefina: All units, commence attack!

*Battle resumes*

*Defeat all enemies, third wave spawns*

Bullet: Blast, they just keep coming!

Tasuku: We just went through a war…give us some slack here!

Gilliam: …They’ve matched our forces.

Tasuku: ? Our forces?

Sean: This is odd…

Lefina: What’s wrong, XO?

Sean: There’re too many to call it a reconnaissance unit…

Sean: But, there aren’t enough to beat us. Yet it can’t be a bluff.

Kyosuke: (…Major Gilliam and the XO noticed it too.)

Kyosuke: (But one thing’s for sure…they’re after us.)

Viletta: (Are they here to test us…or…)

Viletta: (Either way, they’re on the move. I need to hurry…)

*Battle resumes*

*Clear the map*

Eun: All enemy units destroyed!

Lefina: Any more gravity anomalies?

Eun: Not at the moment.

Kyosuke: …..

Bullet: Lt. Kyosuke, what’s wrong?

Excellen: Oh, he always looks like that.

Kyosuke: …..

Lefina: OK…we’ll patrol the area, then return to Elpis.

Hiryu Kai – Comm Room

Gilliam: …A reconnaissance plan was at Aidoneus?

Solder: Yes, it appeared about the same time as it did here.

Gilliam: Any sightings in other locations?

Soldier: No. The report says it was after the Hagane.

Gilliam: …I see.

Hiryu Kai Bridge

Lefina: So, Major Gilliam…you’ll be returning to your duty?

Gilliam: I’m sorry. I didn’t gather much information on the Aerogaters during the DC war…

Gilliam: So I must do so now.

Gilliam: I know it’s a selfish request, but I hope you understand.

Sean: It’s OK. You’re an intelligence officer, after all.

Lefina: Thank you for all you’ve done, Major.

Gilliam: Thank you too. Excuse me…

*Gilliam leaves*

Sean: Viletta’s going back to Mao Industries..it’ll be lonely around here.

Lefina: Yes, it will. But, I have a feeling we’ll meet again…

Hiryu Kai – Hangar

Tasuku: Huh!? You’re leaving the Hiryu!?

Gilliam: Yeah. There are some things I need to investigate.

Kyosuke: …Like the Aerogater’s goal?

Gilliam: So, you’re questioning it too.

Kyosuke: Yes, since the last battle.

Tasuku: Isn’t their goal obvious…world domination?

Gilliam: Although that makes sense…it seems like a facade to me.

Tasuku: Then, what is it…right, that’s why you’re leaving.

Gilliam: Yes. There’s Sanger too…but the true enemy comes first.

Kyosuke: I plan on settling things with him and what’s left of the DC…several things.

Gilliam: …Right.

Viletta: …Alright, Radha. The R-Gun is in your hands now.

Radha: Yes. When I’m done changing frames and improving the energy bypass…

Radha: I’ll send it to Major Ingram Prisken of the SRX Team.

Excellen: Are you leaving the Hiryu too, my dear sister?

Viletta: Yes. I’m on Mao Industries next project.

Viletta: …Also, I have special orders.

Excellen: Special orders? You mean…like espionage?

Viletta: …..

Excellen: Ooh, do you get shoe phones? I wanna be a spy too.

Radha: …I don’t think you were meant to be a spy…

Tasuku: Well, she IS a bit eccentric.

Excellen: …You want a private tutoring session with me instead of Katina, Tasuku…?

Tasuku: N-No thanks, I’m good.

Excellen: Anyways…will I ever see you again?

Viletta: Yes…when the time comes…

Kyosuke: …..

Private Eyes End

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