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Hringhorni – Rec Area

Lune: …You think Mio will be okay?

Masaki: Well, she has Tytti with her, and she’ll be seeing Granny Ibun when she arrives. So there’s no real point in worrying.

Lune: That’s true, I guess.

Masaki: …..

Lune: …..

Masaki: …..

Lune: …So now Tian’s gone.

Masaki: …Yeah. I still haven’t gotten used to death. I don’t think I ever will…

Lune: If I were to die, would you cry for me, Masaki?

Masaki: Don’t say stuff like that. You aren’t dying before I do…I’ll make sure of that.

Lune: Huh?

Masaki: …..

Lune: Hey, say that one more time.

Masaki: …..

Lune: Hey!

Masaki: Gimme a break! I’m not gonna repeat it over and over!

Lune: Hmph. Fine.

Lune: Teeheehee…

Masaki: Quit with the weird laughing!

Lune: Can’t help it…’cause…I’m really happy. *giggle*

Masaki: Tch…I’ve said too much.

Xenia: Hey you two! Why’re you just slacking off in here!?

Masaki: Whoa!? Where’s this coming from!?

Xenia: No more dawdling! Get ready to launch!?

Masaki: Slow down, I have no idea what’s going on.

Xenia: Oh good grief! I told you to keep an eye on the news!

Masaki: Alright, I will in the future. Just explain what happened.

Xenia: There’s a riot in Shutedonias!

Masaki: …Seriously?

Xenia: A riot with large-scale armaments, at that. We need to go and suppress it.

Masaki: I gotcha. Gather everyone on the bridge! First things first, we need to start an information analysis.

Xenia: Already done. All we have to do now is decide on a course of action.

Masaki: Good work, Xenia. In that case, let’s head to the bridge!

Lune: Right!

Hringhorni – Bridge

Wagner: …And that is the situation at present.

Lune: Hmm…in short, there’s been internal conflicts within Shutedonias, and now one of the radical factions is causing a riot.

Xenia: A rough summarization, but that pretty much covers it.

Wagner: The entire country is starting to fragment, so if the Shutedonias government mishandles the situation, a large-scale conflict could easily erupt.

Simone: Hence why we’re getting called in.

Masaki: I see.

Becky: Geez, next to no time to recover from Tian’s death…

Ahmad: It can’t be helped. We had no control over either situation. By the way, are we getting paid for this?

Xenia: Yes, I signed a contract with the Shutedonias government.

Ahmad: Good.

Masaki: Sounds fishy to me…

Xenia: I call it pragmatic.

Masaki: Well, I guess…

Forche: I must remind you to be careful with the situation. Don’t give cause for unnecessary provocation.

Masaki: No worries. We’ll give negotiation a try before anything else.

Forche: Masaki, could you change the tone of your voice? It’s too informal.

Masaki: Huh? Me?

Forche: Yes. I don’t mean to be rude, but do you intend to negotiate using that tone of voice?

Masaki: This isn’t a tone, it’s just my voice.

Forche: That’s no excuse.

Masaki: …Harsh.

Masaki: But, on the battlefield, I can’t afford to be eloquent. Not when the opposing party is prepared to kill or be killed.

Masaki: If you want your enemy to listen to you, you need to get through to them, even if it means screaming at them.

Forche: …I see. You certianly have an original way of thinking.

Forche: But it doesn’t change the fact that your tone is too rough. At least try and make it more appropriate for the situation.

Masaki: Fine, fine, I get it.

Forche: One “fine” is enough!

Masaki: Fine, I get it…that good enough?

Forche: Barely. Just don’t forget yourself.

Masaki: …Phew.

Sharian: We’re wasting time. While we’re sitting here, the conflict is expanding. Let’s hurry.

Wagner: I agree. Captain, if you would.

Bradroy: Yep, we’re OK to go.

Masaki: Alright! Off to Shutedonias!

Chapter 11: Shutedonias in Turmoil

Shutedonias – Delhat City

*Hringhorni and Cybuster arrive in the middle of a brawl*

Bradroy: Hmm…apparently the battle’s been temporarily suspended.

Masaki: Works for me. We are the Antiras Squad! Both sides, withdraw your troops!

Zanboss: Rgh, blasted Masoukishin! This is none of your business!

Ridgel: That’s right. Stay out of our domestic affairs!

Masaki: Huh? These guys…I feel like I know them from somewhere.

Kuro: Did you forget? We fought against those guys in the Four Seasons War.

Masaki: Four Seasons War…the battle between his Highness and Kirkus? Oh yeah, they were.

Zanboss: Hrmph, you might’ve forgotten us, but we haven’t forgotten you! After all, it’s thanks to you that we’re in this mess.

Masaki: What did you say?

Zanboss: If President Zolushard or Coloner Rasetz were still alive, this chaos wouldn’t be happening!

Masaki: Don’t blame this on us! That war was set up by Rasetz in the first place!

Ridgel: What are you talking about!? The war started because your country harbored Zweig Notovey, a convicted criminal!

Wagner: Please, everyone take a step back. I’m sure we can reasonably talk this out.

Xenia: …I don’t think they’re listening.

Zanboss: Well, Captain Glenor. Looks like we agree on something.

Ridgel: It would appear so.

Zanboss: In that case, what do you say we put our fight on hold until we’ve dealt with them?

Ridgel: …What a coincidence. I was about to suggest the same thing.

Masaki: What…what kind of logic is that!?

Ridgel: This is what you get for sticking your neck where it doesn’t belong! Let’s go!

Zanboss: Graaa!

Masaki: Tch…things have gone completely awry, and negotiations never took place!

Ahmad: Such as often happens with diplomacy. It is now the duty of the Antiras Squad to force an end to this skirmish.

Masaki: You guys brought this on yourselves!

Wagner: It can no longer be helped. I hereby invoke the compulsory execution granted to the Antiras Squad.

*Prep screen, Units deploy, Conditions shown, Battle starts*

*Turn 3 Player Phase, Giolast and Dergiran appear*

Rodney: Looks like we’re just in time.

Ellis: We’ll help you guys out!

Masaki: Rodney! And that other Masouki…is that Ellis?

Ellis: Yes, this is the Dergiran, a Masouki designed as the successor to the Fenter.

Shiro: So that’s Wendy’s latest creation?

Masaki: You knew about it, Shiro?

Shiro: A document on the specs

Kuro:

Xenia: Hold on a second, you two. Aren’t you supposed to be on your honeymoon?

Rodney: When we heard this was happening, we couldn’t just turn a blind eye.

Ellis: Our top priority is to stop this mayhem!

Zanboss: General Jes’ha…no, you’re just a rebel now. A traitor.

Rodney: What’d you say? That’s big talk coming from a guy trying to start a civil war!

Ridgel: As someone who abandoned his country, you have no right to talk!

Ellis: We aren’t the ones who have abandoned our country!

*Battle resumes*

{Masaki VS Zanboss}

Zanboss: You always get in our way! You’re like angels of death!

Masaki: Grr…we came here as arbiters! You’re the ones who refused to talk!

{Simone VS Zanboss}

Zanboss: Simone! I’m not surprised you returned Colonel Rasetz’s kindness with evil. You’re a surface dweller, after all!

Simone: Even if he was my benefactor, it was my duty to stop him once he went down the wrong path!

{Masaki VS Ridgel}

Ridgel: You lot are far too meddlesome! Withdraw at once!

Masaki: …Can I ask one thing?

Ridgel: Uh, what is it…?

Masaki: You’re a man, right?

Ridgel: Of course I am!

Masaki: …..

Ridgel: What!? Is there a problem here!?

Masaki: No, I guess…it’s a free country.

Ridgel: Now I’m irritated! Prepare yourself!

{Ellis VS Ridgel}

Ellis: Wise up and surrender!

Ridgel: Former Lieutenant Radius, couldn’t you be a little more polite? Like I am.

Ellis: Hah…like anyone would want to have you as a role model!

Ridgel: Oh dear…same as ever, I see. You’re like a different person when you pilot a Masouki.

Ellis: And for the record, my name’s no longer Radius. It’s Ellis Jes’ha.

Ridgel: Oh, Jes’ha…you married General Jes’ha? Congratulations, then. Though I’m hurt you didn’t invite me to the wedding.

Ellis: …If you had shown up, the mood would have been killed.

Ridgel: Ha ha, well, maybe you’re right.

*Defeat Zanboss*

Zanboss: Defeated again…I’ll remember this!

*Defeat Ridgel*

Ridgel: Tch…I can’t match up with the Masoukishin even in this machine…

*Defeat all enemies, Battle ends*

Hringhorni – Bridge

Forche: Unbelievable…you fought both sides at the same time…

Masaki: In this case, we couldn’t help it. They attacked us right off the bat.

Forche: I know, but next time try and choose your words more carefully. Nothing that comes off as inflammatory or tit-for-tat.

Masaki: …I though I was pretty careful.

Forche: You call that being careful?

Wagner: Now now, Inspector. They refused our offer of arbitration, so it truly couldn’t be helped.

Forche: Well…I suppose. I’ll only deduct a few points this time.

Masaki: …But you’re still deducting them period?

Simone: Everyone, we’ve finished processing the prisoners. I assume Inspector Forche would like to hear their statements.

Forche: Understood. I will accompany you.

Delhat City – Streets

Zanboss: To think that I…have to suffer this humiliation…

Ridgel: If you’re going to kill us, do it quick!

Rodney: Sheesh…you guys don’t listen to anyone, do you. We didn’t come to fight.

Ridgel: It’s not very convincing to say that after you’ve fought us.

Masaki: You guys are the ones who insisted on it!

Ridgel: Yeah, well…

Simone: Yes, yes, we know. We won’t get anywhere if you keep repeating that.

Wagner: We want to know why this whole thing was started. Could you explain the circumstances?

Zanboss: That should be obvious! Those northerners launched a surprise attack on us…

Ridgel: That’s a lie! They were the ones who started…

Lune: Shut UP!! I want both of you to calm down!

Zanboss: Ngh!?

Ridgel: W-What?

Lune: If either of you shout one more word…

Ridgel: H-Hey! What’re you doing with that rock!? Are you going to beat us with it!? You barbarian!

Lune: Beat you? That’s not why I have this. This…

*CRUNCH*

Lune: …is why!

Ridgel: Eek!

Zanboss: M…Monsterous!

Lune: So, which would you prefer, the head or the stomach?

Zanboss: Head?

Ridgel: Stomach?

Lune: That’s right. Which do you want me to crush?

Zanboss: P…Pardon my rudeness!

Ridgel: I-I’ll talk, I’ll talk!

Lune: Good. Now they’re cooperative.

Wagner: …No, they’re terrified.

Masaki: Lune…how many kilograms of grip strength do you have?

Lune: How much? I’m not sure, since I broke the measuring instrument.

Masaki: …Hm.

Lune: W-What is it?

Lune: Ah…do you think that…I’m too unfeminine?

Masaki: No, I’m actually impressed. It makes your intimidation tactics really effective.

Lune: Really? You don’t think it’s weird?

Masaki: Why would I? I already knew about your superhuman strength from that arm-wrestling match.

Lune: O-Oh…right.

Forche: …Threating prisoners. That’s a deduction.

Lune: Uh…did I do something wrong?

Forche: Any time you enact a plan when there are better alternatives available, you’ll be docked a number of points.

Lune: A-Ahaha. Guess I should’ve though that out.

Simone: For the time being, let’s split these two up and question them separately.

Hringhorni – Bridge

Wagner: Hmm…their accounts were completely different.

Lune: In the end, they keep insisting that the other side is at fault.

Xenia: Bizarrely, the video footage we analyzed shows that they’re both telling the truth.

Masaki: Even the time?

Xenia: Yes. The attacks both happened at the same time. And the footage shows no signs of being tampered with. There’s no way this is a coincidence.

Wendy: Therefore, both sides must have been set up by a third party.

Rodney: I see…in short, we’ve got someone pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Ellis: B-But…who would profit from causing an uprising in Shutedonias…?

Rodney: Well, thinking by normal standards, Langran.

Tsurein: That’s not possible!

Rodney: Wuh? Who just burst out…was that you, Tsurein?

Tsurein: Langran would never use such underhanded tactics! Right, Princess Xenia!? Lord Wagner!?

Xenia: Umm…I don’t know about that.

Wagner: Unfortunately, we cannot rule out that possibility.

Tsurein: Bwhaa!? So even you two think…

Xenia: Well, as a former member of the Intelligence Bureau, I know these things front and back. The world’s not as clandestine as you might think.

Tsurein: B-But still!

Xenia: Easy now. I’m not saying that Langran is the culprit. Just that we shouldn’t remove them from our list of suspects.

Wendy: You can’t prejudge when analyzing facts and information, Tsurein.

Tsurein: …Understood.

Wagner: Rodney, do you have any leads? You’ve been in Shutedonias for some time.

Rodney: Uh…while that’s true, we really don’t know…anything.

Ellis: R…Right.

Wendy: Not even any rumors?

Rodney: Well, no, y’see…we haven’t been mixing with the public. We’ve spent most of the time in our suite…

Wendy: Huh? In your suite…

Wendy: …Ah!?

Becky: …All three days? You two certainly have been quite…busy.

Ellis: That’s n-not it! Not at all!

Becky: The red shade of your face says otherwise.

Ellis: No, er, um…

Simone: Okay, okay, enough! We don’t need to be deconstructing their love life. Besides, there are children here.

Becky: Oops, my bad.

Rodney: Well, I might not know what’s been happening the last few days, but I can give you a rundown on the division between the North and the South.

Masaki: Yeah, now that you mention it, those guys from the North said something about that.

Rodney: To put it simply, the majority of people in the South were in favor of Zolushard and his policies, and the people in the North were against them. This is partly because military industries form a large swath of the South’s economic base.

Xenia: I heard that the economic disparity between the North and the South has grown wider due to the recent wars.

Rodney: The current government is comprised of northerners. I’ve also heard rumors that…the South is looking to achieve independence.

Rodney:…But I wouldn’t put much stock into that.

Xenia: Forgive me, but speaking as a third party, I think it’s worth putting stock into.

Ellis: No…

Rodney: I just can’t believe anyone’d be stupid enough…

Rodney: No, maybe Xenia’s right.

Ellis: Rodney? Even you…

Rodney: Shutedonias is a federal system. Each state has a strong sense of autonomy…they give top priority to themselves and what they can gain…

Ellis: That may be, but…

Rodney: Zolushard had more influence than it looked. If he were still alive, this probably wouldn’t be happening.

Rodney: Oh, don’t think I’m blaming you guys, Masaki. We all had a hand in that.

Masaki: Yeah…okay.

Rodney: As you can see, there are multiple layers to this problem. The reality of the situation is pretty complex.

Simone: What should we do with our POWs, then?

Rodney: Let’s see…I know who holds leadership in the North…but who’s the most prominent person in the South?

Ellis: In terms of popularity, what about General Dusdresh?

Rodney: Ah, old man Leffen? Sure, he’s more than capable of handling this.

Becky: In that case, let’s contact each side and prep the prisoners for transfer.

Xenia: I’m going with the group escorting the prisoners to the North. I’ll be needed for the negotiations.

Rodney: You want us to come along?

Xenia: No, thanks for the offer, but I think it’s better if you stay behind. The conversation might get complicated if you guys are there.

Becky: Yeah. You guys hold down the fort with Masaki and the others.

Rodney: Alright…I’ll leave it to you.

Ellis: I’d wanted to observe the present situation here anyway…

Wagner: I’ll take charge of negotiations with the South. The North I leave to you, Captain.

Bradroy: Understood, Representative.

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