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Aidoneus Island – DC Headquarters
Bian: …With the aid from the UCC, our plan is progressing smoothly.
Maier: It is necessary for the upcoming battle…have you found a way to win the greater war?
Bian: Yes…but if they fall instead of fly…it will end in defeat.
Maier: …So, what do you have in mind?
Bian: The Hagane and the Hiryu Kai…all-purpose battle carries built with the concept of ISA in mind, and a mixed force of Personal Troopers and Super Robots…
Bian: In the fight against the Aerogaters, I’m hoping they’ll be strong enough to pull through.
Maier: I see…power not only to defeat the enemy, but to continually break through their own limits?
Maier: I will remember that…Elzam, continue to support Bian’s forces on the Earth.
Elzam: I understand, Commander.
Maier: I will leave the matter of Raidiese to you. He has the same stubborn streak as his mother…so I don’t believe he’ll be willing to join our cause.
Elzam: If our paths cross…it will be on the field of battle. If not, then…
Maier: If that is your decision, I will not stop you. You will once again be walking a blood-stained road.
Maier: But…this time, I hope the destination is different…
Elzam: Father…no, Commander…
Maier: I don’t want to see you to pull the trigger a second time…
Maier: No…parental supervision is not needed here…never mind.
Elzam: …..
Maier: Farewell, Bian…
Bian: Right. Until next time…
*Maier signs off*
Elzam: (Father…)
Bian: (Hm…he’s still a father to the end…)
Bian: …So, Elzam. What was it you wanted to speak to me about?
Elzam: Oh…there’s someone I want you to meet, sir.
Aidoneus Island Exterior
???: …..
???: (To have been brought to such a place…)
Bian: …That is the crater which contains Meteor 3
???: …..
Bian: Everything started from that…
???: You must be…Bian Zoldark.
Bian: That I am. I assume you did not come here to defeat us alone…did you just want to see the power of the DC firsthand?
???: …
Bian: Well, what is it that you see now?
???: …..
Bian: …This meteor was once considered beautiful. Now, it’s the warning sign for an invasion…
Bian: We must unite and face this confrontation.
???: …So the unity of the DC is fractured.
Bian: Is there a firm intention amongst our leaders to protect the people of this planet? Can you think of an alternative?
Bian: The EOT Council tried to hide the existence of the aliens from the public, and they tried to deal with the enemy behind their backs…
???: …..
Bian: All that we need is for those born on earth to awaken to their full potential. And the best way to do that is for them to go through…”Dramatic Trials”.
???: You would make yourself criminals…to protect the people of this world…?
Bian: …Either that, or we claim dominance over this world.
???: …..
Bian: …Look at the light shining across the morning sky…the light shining from the sun.
Bian: …That’s from a poem written before the Space Era. It epitomizes my love for this world…
Bian: As for what way you should go…think carefully, and decide.
???: …..
Aidoneus Island – Meeting Room
Adler: Wh-Why!? Why do you have to…!?
Bian: Don’t argue with me. We only send the least number of units necessary to complete the mission. I want this done quickly and with minimal damage.
Bian: Now, start devising a plan.
Adler: Well, according to our info, the Hiryu Custom is headed for Merit Island…
Adler: The remaining EFA forces are gathering there and preparing to launch supply shuttles into space…
Adler: I’ve already sent Tenzan…
Tempest: …He’ll cause collateral damage to our own side.
Elzam: Regardless, we must come up with a plan to destroy the shuttle as we pass through the defense network of the Hiryu Kai.
Tempest: We should employ an MAPW.
Elzam: Don’t be ridiculous. Why destroy the entire island?
Tempest: Hmph…I consider it a necessary casualty.
???: …Let me handle this.
Adler: What…? You have no standing here!
???: Allow me to demonstrate my loyalty to you, sir.
Bian: Hmm…
Adler: I don’t think it’s a good idea, Commander! He might…
???: Allow me the use of a Lion. I’ll complete the mission alone.
Adler: ONE Lion…? Do you have a death wish!?
???: Death can’t stop me.
Bian: Very well. I’ll put you in charge of this mission. Prove your loyalty…and show me what you can do.
Adler: S-Sir!
Bian: But…allow them to go into space of their own free will.
???: Yes, sir. And with that…I will sortie.
Chapter 9: From the Moon

Merit Island
Radha: …Major Gilliam…have you made contact with the Hiryu Kai?
Gilliam: Yes. They’re now heading to Merit Island Base.
Radha: …Will they…make it in time?
Gilliam: That’s hard to say. Although we recovered the base, the area is still under DC control.
Gilliam: If they discover we’re launching a shuttle, they’ll be on us quick.
Radha: …Yes…
Gilliam: We must protect the launch pad at all costs, until they arrive.
Radha: …R….Roger that…
Gilliam: What’s wrong? You sound tired…
Radha: Oh, no…I was just practicing yoga asanas while I waited…
Radha: But, the Schutzwald has such a small cockpit…
Gilliam: If it helps you to focus…just don’t get stuck between your seat and the arm rest.
Radha: Ah ha ha, why don’t you give me a hand then?
Gilliam: …Unfortunately, I don’t have time for that now.
*Enemies appear*
Radha: The DC Air Fleet…!
Gilliam: That was quick…the conditioning of the tuned-up MK II will have to be done in battle…
Gilliam: Radha and I will protect the launch pad. All hands, prep for launch!
*Launch Pad Highlighted*
Gilliam: If a single enemy gets in, it’s over. Got that?
Radha: Roger, Major.
Gilliam: Let’s see…I believe the fighters from the south will come straight in and attack the launch pad…
Radha: Yes…I sense…that too…
Gilliam: We’ll intercept them first.
*Conditions Shown, Battle starts*
*Turn 2 Player Phase*
Radha: Major…how much longer before the Hiryu Kai gets here?
Gilliam: About two more minutes. And I’m sure we’ll face more than just fighters…get ready to face reinforcements.
Radha: Roger…!
*Turn 3 Enemy Phase, Reinforcements appear*
Tenzan: Man, just taking over a base is so boring…
Gilliam: The enemy reinforcements got here faster than the Hiryu Kai.
Tenzan: Huh? That Gespenst is the…
Tenzan: 007-01 Type R!
Tenzan: No way, it’s the original Gespenst MK II!
Tenzan: And the other one is a Schutzwald…!
Tenzan: This mission may not be so bad after all!
Radha: …Does he seem happy to see us?
Gilliam: Well, our mechs are very rare early PT models.
Radha: And your mech in particular is a fully-tuned test model…
Radha: There are only three of them in the world.
Gilliam: But, the EFA…
Gilliam: They only have a few of the mass-production versions deployed…
Radha: Because the EOT Council interfered with the project, production was delayed…
Gilliam: Therefore, in order to accomplish this mission…
Gilliam: I had to have the test model brought in from the Moon.
Gilliam: The enemy pilot’s fixation with antiques may work to our advantage.
Radha: What do you mean?
Gilliam: He won’t harm it until he absolutely has to.
Gilliam: So, we can buy some time until the Hiryu Kai arrives.
*Battle resumes*
*Turn 4 Player Phase, Hiryu Kai arrives*
Tenzan: Hahaha…today’s my lucky day. They’re here too!
Tenzan: I didn’t get to play enough last time!
Gilliam: Hiryu Custom…this is Major Gilliam Yager.
Gilliam: Requesting that you protect the launch pad.
Lefina: This is Lefina Enfield, Captain of the Hiryu Custom. What is aboard the shuttle?
Gilliam: We can talk later. Please, protect the launch pad.
Lefina: Roger that.
Kyosuke: (Major Gilliam Yager…a former Aggressor, just like Major Sanger…)
Kyosuke: (Can we trust him…?)
Lefina: Deploy all units!
*Prep Screen, Units Deploy*
Tenzan: So we meet again, you boot-faced horned pig!
Excellen: I think the first part was for Kyosuke, and the second part was for the Alt.
Bullet: Thanks for the explanation, Sensei!
Katina: I’ll defeat him this time! That guy torques me off!
Radha: My…they’re certainly young and spirited. I should teach them some Yoga…
Gilliam: …Just go easy on them. We don’t want them getting hurt.
Gilliam: (That’s…odd. I though Sanger was the leader of the Hiryu’s PT squadron…)
*Conditions Update, Battle resumes*
{Kyosuke VS Tenzan}
Tenzan: Hey you! I heard your base was annihilated! Too bad!
Kyosuke: …It’s true. And the fleet we were supposed to meet is gone too.
Tenzan: Don’t worry, I’ll send you to the grave to meet them!
Kyosuke: …Thanks. But, you’ll go first…!
{Excellen VS Tenzan}
Excellen: I see you’re as hyped up, as usual.
Tenzan: My blood pressure’s through the roof! You gotta have fun in life!
{Bullet VS Tenzan}
Tenzan: You don’t have enough experience to fight me! No way I’m losing to a nobody like you!
Bullet: With war mongers like you around…this war will never end!!
{Katina VS Tenzan}
Katina: Not you again! Don’t you ever shut up!?
Tenzan: I like to have fun! You gonna sue me!?
Katina: Nah, I’ll just kill you instead!
{Russel VS Tenzan}
Tenzan: You think you can take me!? You’re just a supporting character in this game!
Russel: I don’t care what you say, I’m not backing down…!
{Gilliam VS Tenzan}
Tenzan: I’ll kill you and take your custom Gespenst!
Gilliam: It’s not the best, but a lot of human hardships and dreams went into the construction of this mech…
Gilliam: It won’t go down so easily…!
{Radha VS Tenzan}
Tenzan: What? Another girl!? This could be fun!
Radha: If you practiced Asana, you wouldn’t be so angry…
Tenzan: Asana…what’s that? A type of curry!?
Radha: …That is enough. I will fix your twisted mind…with my yoga.
*Shoot down Tenzan*
Tenzan: Tch, this Guarlion just won’t work for me!
Tenzan: I need a stronger mech that matches my style…
Kyosuke: …I say you need more training.
Tenzan: Training? Ha, if I was trained, you’d already be dead!
Excellen: Dontcha think you should eject?
Tenzan: Oops, I guess so! We’ll have fun next time! See ya!
*Guarlion explodes, Tenzan escapes*
Kyosuke: …Only a pilot…like Tenzan Nakajima…
Kyosuke: …Could think this war…is fun.
Kyosuke: (Dr. Bian, the UCC…and the Major…what’s behind the veil…?)
Gilliam: The shuttle is safe…
Eun: No, wait! Incoming contact!
Lefina: !
*Lion appears*
Lefina: Just one mech…!?
???: I’m only here for one thing!
*Lion moves to landing pad*
???: Gotcha!
Kyosuke: !?
*Shuttle damaged*
Eun: No, the shuttle!!
???: The mission’s over…
*Lion escapes*
Lefina: It’s retreated…!? Eun, what’s the damage on the shuttle!?
Eun: The cargo is intact, but the launch pad is disabled…!
Sean: …So the first team was a decoy…no, that’s not it. I think the single AM was working alone…
Sean: More than that…I recognized its flight pattern.
Lefina: Huh…?
Gilliam: Yes. The way it caught us off guard…that was…
Kyosuke: Major Sanger…
Excellen: …Perhaps.
Lefina: It-it can’t…!
Katina: So, he betrayed us after all!
Bullet: Nhg…no way…! The Major…betrayed us…
Kyosuke: Betrayed…not necessarily.
Bullet: Lieutenant…?
Kyosuke: (Maybe…he’s just testing us…?)
Hiryu Kai Bridge
Gilliam: I appreciate your help, Captain Lefina, Executive Officer Sean.
Gilliam: To be honest, I was worried you wouldn’t make it…
Lefina: Well, my crew is the best. And, we had help from Langley…
Gilliam: I heard about the situation there. It doesn’t look good.
Gilliam: I can’t believe Sanger defected to the DC…
Lefina: I still haven’t given up on him.
Gilliam: I admire you for that…but you know the reality of the situation.
Lefina: Yes…I know…
Kyosuke: Major Gilliam…can we trust this guy?
Excellen: Aren’t you being a little paranoid?
Kyosuke: Well, he IS a former Aggressor, just like Major Sanger.
Radha: …Have you ever heard the saying, ‘sometime prejudice hides the truth’?
Kyosuke: Huh? Who are you?
Gilliam: Oh, pardon me. This is Radha Bryraban…a staff member at Mao.
Excellen: Mao…Mao Industries?
Gilliam: Yes. The Personal Trooper manufacturer located on the Moon.
Radha: I’m currently working on a man-machine interface for a new mech.
Kyosuke: New mech…then, that’s what the cargo of the shuttle is?
Gilliam: You’re very sharp, Lt. Kyosuke.
Gilliam: The cargo contains new mech parts and supplies for Mao Industries.
Lefina: Supplies…then, why are you launching from here?
Lefina: Is the situation in space that bad?
Radha: No…in fact, the current situation in the space colonies is much more stable than here on Earth.
Radha: Because of course…no one in space opposes the UCC.
Gilliam: Except…Mao Industries and the EFA forces on the Moon.
Excellen: Riiiiight…the colonists never did like us earthlings.
Kyosuke: The have no reason to fight the UCC because they protect them…
Kyosuke: And now, the EFA has no power to attack the colonies…
Sean: Of course. The UCC was once part of the EFA’s forces.
Sean: That’s why the EFA has virtually no presence in space.
Excellen: It’s kinda like…having the kitty you’re feeding bite you.
Kyosuke: …Actually, that would be a dog.
Radha: But Ring Mao, our president…she has no intention of obeying the DC, or the UCC.
Radha: We’ll just continue to resist, even if it’s just us…
Sean: I get it. That’s why you’re delivering supplies to the Moon all the way from Earth.
Gilliam: The EFA can’t afford to lose the PT production facility that Mao Industries has.
Gilliam: Since I’m with military intelligence…I was helping Radha investigate the situation in outer space.
Lefina: …..
Lefina: …Eun, has the cargo been damaged?
Eun: Huh? No, ma’am.
Lefina: Then, transfer it into the Hiryu Kai.
Sean: Captain…?
Lefina: XO, change the coordinates for the Moon. Prepare for launch into orbit.
Excellen: W-Wait, Captain! We’re going to the Moon!?
Lefina: Yes, we are. Any objections, Lieutenant?
Excellen: No, I’d just…rather admire the Moon from…here.
Kyosuke: Well, now you can admire it from up close, Excellen.
Sean: And judging from Ms. Radha, I’ll be able to see the Moon bunnies up close too…
Radha: Moon bunnies?
Sean: Oh, never mind that joke. Anyways…
Sean: Captain…we’ll be facing it alone if we go up there…am I correct?
Lefina: That’s right. Since HQ in Geneva is in turmoil…
Lefina: We must make the decision ourselves. Besides, our home has been…
Gilliam: …I understand. Thank you for your help, Captain.
Sean: Then let’s not waste any more time. Start the preparations.
Kyosuke: (Outer space, huh? Let’s see…how this turns out.)
Aidoneus Island
Tenzan: …That stinking Sanger used me!
Tenzan: Hey! Anybody! Where’s that swindler Sanger!?
Sanger: …Quiet. The maintenance crew is trying to work.
Sanger: Don’t break their concentration.
Tenzan: Nobody put you in charge, you backstabber!
Sanger: Commander Bian has authorized me to assess the situation and take command if necessary.
Sanger: So I’m merely following orders.
Tenzan: Why you…don’t give me that!
Sanger: I know you think I’ll betray the DC.
Sanger: But I assure you, I have no intention of doing anything other than following orders.
Tenzan: Tch, aren’t you a hero…
Elzam: Tenzan.
Tenzan: Major Elzam, this back stabber used me as–!
Elzam: Sanger made the best possible decision.
Elzam: He’s not as unprepared as you are.
Tenzan: …Tch…Once an Aggressor, always an Aggressor, huh?
Tenzan: You guys are nothing but has-beens. Go off and lick your old wounds!
*Tenzan leaves*
Sanger: …..
Elzam: My apologies, Sanger. He’s just a kid. Forget what he said.
Sanger: …I don’t mind. I just wonder if he…if anyone besides us and Commander Maier…
Sanger: Truly understand Commander Bian’s vision.
Elzam: We must make them. Them and the rest of mankind.
Sanger: …Yes. Now, I must go after the Hiryu Kai.
Elzam: Do you intend to fight your former comrades?
Sanger: What about you? Your brother is on the Hagane, right?
Elzam: …..
Sanger: I have much left to teach them…
Elzam: True. We both have our own battles to fight…
Sanger: And should we both survive…we’ll see each other again.
From the Moon End
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