Kira: Enemy fleet’s destruction confirmed!
Yuri: Okay, time to storm Mytilene’s spaceport. All hands, prepare for close quarters combat!
Meanwhile…
Desmond: Professor, your research is coming along well, I trust?
Minas: Oh, it’s most certainly coming along, but how well is really hard to say. There’s not a whole lot I can say without conducting some more tests, you see.
Desmond: Tests?! More tests?! Haven’t you already done enough tests?
Aminda: You must understand, the Epitaphs are entities that far exceed all human knowledge. We must proceed with great care this time if we wish to avoid a repeat performance of what occurred in the Spetses Sector.
Desmond: Then test away, Professor, test away! Just hurry up and get us some results! After all, the Empire has sunk a massive amount of money into your research on an artificial Epitaph! We expect something in return!
Minas: Yes, yes, I understand.
An alarm sounds.
Desmond: Huh?! What’s going on?
Lugovalos Soldier: Our security fleet has been destroyed by an unidentified force!
Desmond: What? Is it those vile little resistance worms?!
Lugovalos Soldier: We don’t know yet, but whoever it is, they’re now heading straight for the spaceport.
Desmond: (gasps)
Katida: Deputy Viceroy.
Desmond: Ah, Katida. I think it would be best for you to retire to our room for now.
Katida: Is something the matter? I heard some sort of disturbance.
Desmond: Ha ha! No need for you to fear, my love. Just vile little worms in need of tending. How dare they oppose our great Emperor?! I’ll make worm paste out of them! You’ll see! Hee hee hee! Now, just run along to our room.
Desmond, the Kefka of our series.Katida: Okay…
Desmond: Vile little worms… I’ll be they’re after my artificial Epitaph!
Nope. But we won’t mind killing you in the bargain!With that, the scene ends.
>>Mytilene
We have access to a full shipyard in orbit, in case new ships were needed. Since they aren’t, we make for the elevator to the surface. Doing so brings us up against Lugovalian resistance… and a familiar face.
??: halt, you resistance scum!
Yuri: Whoa!
As they step off the orbital elevator, Yuri and company are immediately confronted by a man leading a group of soldiers.
??: This galaxy is now united under the Lugovalian banner. We’d have peace if it weren’t for troublemakers like you! Prepare to die, resistance scum!
Observing the shouting soldier, Yuri can’t help but think that he’s seen him before, at some other time.
Yuri: I think I know that voice.
Torlo: Wait a sec. Ian? Is that you?!
Ian: Huh?
Kira: Yes, I thought he looked familiar! You’re Ian, right?!
Torlo: Aw, c’mon, man! It’s me, Torlo! And this is Yuri! We got Tats here, too! And I bet ya can’t forget Kira here! Remember how you kept her safe that time?
Ian: Kira… Hmph. You were the last people I expected to see here.
Torlo: …
Ian: Sorry to disappoint you, but you won’t be getting any special treatment from me. Times have changed. Now, I’d advise you to surrender immediately if you value your lives.
Hahaha. Still a giant douchebag, Ian, and still so very, very wrong.Kira: But Ian…
Torlo: Wh-What the Grus?! You are Ian, ain’t ya?
Ian: that’s right, but I’m on the other side now. In fact, you’re looking at Lugovalos’s Chief of Security.
Yuri: I don’t get it, Ian. Why’d you switch sides?
Ian: It’s simple. After Lugovalos united the SMC, piracy went way down and civilians were no longer plagued by war. The people are far better off now than they ever were under that utterly corrupt Elgavan regime.
Yuri: Ian, you call the virtual enslavement of an entire galaxy “peace”?
Ian: Most people don’t even care who’s calling the shots for them. All that care about is being well clothed and well fed. In short, they want to live like civilized human beings. Sorry, but the Q&A session’s over. On my command… Fire!
The group hits the ground as the soldiers start firing.
Kira: Yuri!
Yuri: I guess we don’t have a choice. Return fire!
And now for something we’ve been looking forward to… a chance to beat the crap out of Ian. We have 2200 men and 84 skill, versus Ian with 1200 men and 49 skill. I open with Commander, and utterly wipe out Ian’s who unit before he can even react.
Ian: Hmph. Not bad, Yuri. You really are--
Lugovalos Soldier: Chief Fenevich, we’d better fall back!
Ian: All right, but gather our wounded first!
Ian Fenevich covers his surviving men as they hurry to board a combat vehicle. Yuri and company try to stop it, but the vehicle leaves them in the dust.
Torlo: Hey, you get back here, Ian! Ian, I swear I’m gonna --!
Tatiana: Torlo, enough already. He’s gone.
Torlo: I can’t believe this! I mean, what the Grus is he thinking!
Yuri: …
The elevator cleared, we have access to the Ruins and to Desmond’s lab. We visit the ruins first,
>>Ruins
These are the Epitaph Ruins. There are a number of recent footprints from what appear to be a man’s shoes heading towards the windswept ruins.
Yuri: (This place hasn’t changed at all.)
>>Desmond’s Lab
Semias: This appears to be the laboratory.
Yuri: Yeah. We’d better go find Professor Minas before they call in reinforcements.
Inside, we walk forward, and quickly run into resistance.
Kira: Yuri! I hear footsteps coming this way!
Yuri: There’s no time to run. We’ll just have to take them on here!
We’re up against a leaderless group of 1200 soldiers with 40 skill. Ochoa’s opening Commander gambit remains as effective as always, kill 705 of them. They start on Leader in return, and we exchange shots. They switch to shoot just as we switch to slash, letting us gain advantage on them. That advantage is enough, and we win the battle.
Meanwhile…
Viceroyalty of the Small Magellanic Cloud
Lugovalos Soldier: Your excellency! A request for help has just come in from Deputy Viceroy Desmond over on Mytilene!
Coyle: Help? What sort of mess has he gotten himself into this time?
Lugovalos Soldier: It has something to do with a resistance fighter by the name of Yuri.
Coyle: That fool. Asking for help against some upstart resistance fighter?
Cico: Not so fast, Coyle.
Coyle: Your Highness?
Cico: This guy…. If it’s the Yuri I know, Desmond’s a goner.
Coyle: That cannot be allowed. I’ll arrange for reinforcements to be dispatched immediately.
Cico: You do that. And I’ll go, too.
Coyle: But Your Highness, the fleet hasn’t yet arrived. The only ships we have here right now are from the SMC.
Cico: No problem. I’ll just borrow the fastest ya got. And when my fleet gets here, just have ‘em catch up with me.
Coyle: Yes, Your Highness!
The focus ships back to our group as we clear the first floor of the lab and head to the second floor, where we meet more resistance.
Torlo: Damn It, we got more company!
Semias: Let’s get rid of them quickly!
We do so.
Yuri: Okay, let’s keep going before they send in reinforcements!
On the third floor, we come across the guest quarters.
Dietrich Schneizer, who previous went looking for Gavriil Minas, calls out to Yuri in an urgent voice.
Dietrich: Captain! I found a woman dressed in civilian clothes in a room over here!
Yuri: A civilian?
Katida: …
Yuri: Don’t be afraid. We have no intention of harming any civilians.
Katida: Yuri…?
Yuri: Hm?
The woman’s voice is small and shaky, but sounds vaguely familiar. Yuri studies her frightened face intently, trying hard to place her. Suddenly it hits him.
Yuri: No, it can’t be? Katida Lanco? Katida, is that really you? But why would you be here?
Yuri now notices that the room has been designed to resemble a typical ground welling home. There are two beds sitting side by side, and the Lugovalian coat of arms hanging on the wall. Other items that might be typically found in a home are scattered around. This is enough to alert Yuri to the situation that Katida Lanco has been victim to for the past few years.
Yuri: Katida… We’ve been in the LMC all this time, trying to get the nations there to prepare for the Lugovalian invasion. If you’re still interested in traveling the sea of stars, I think you should join us on my ship.
Katida: I… I…
Yuri: No, you don’t have to say anything. I made a promise to you a long time ago, that I would take you into space again. It’\s taken me far too long to keep that promise, but now I would like to finally live up to it, if you’ll let me.
Katida: Yuri…
Katida Lanco softly and timidly reaches for Yuri’s outstretched hand. Yuri takes Katida’s hand in his, holding it firmly with what he hopes is a reassuring grip.
Katida Lanco joined your crew!She doesn’t really add anything, and she’ll be a permanent passenger, but it’s far better than her fate would be otherwise.We run into another set of guards on the fourth floor.
Yuri: Hm? I think we’ve got company!
Ochoa’s Commander attack still wipes them out instantly.
Torlo: Man, these guys don’t know when to give u, do they?
We reach the elevator to the fifth and final floor.
There don’t appear to be any enemies lurking about here.
We move forward, and finally reach Minas’ lab.
Yuri and company burst into a familiar-looking room on the top floor.
Kira: This looks exactly like the Ludoviko Tani Observatory.
Torlo: Hey, you’re right! I knew I’d seen this place before!
Suddenly, the party notices they’re not alone. Trevor Desmond, Gavriil Minas and Aminda Mistika are also there in the room.
Desmond: Hey! What is the meaning of this?! I’ll have you know, I’m Deputy Viceroy of the SMC. If anything should happen to me, the Lugovalian Empire will--
Shrug?Yuri: Professor Minas!
And Yuri ignores him entirely.Desmond: Mm?
Minas: Hm?
Yuri: Professor Minas, Aminda… It’s me, Yuri! I’m going to get you out of here!
Minas: What’s this?!
Aminda: Yuri! Is that really you?
Yuri: In the flesh! Now, please, let’s go!
Desmond: Hmph!
Desmond: I’m afraid that won’t be happening!
He doesn’t like being ignored, I guess.Yuri: You…
Aminda: Professor!
Torlo: Lugovalian scum! Let the old geezer go!
Desmond: Oh, I don’t think so. Step one foot forward and the old man gets his brains blown out!
Yuri: You make me sick just looking at you. Now, let the professor go, or I won’t be held accountable for my actions!
Desmond: Silence! Silence, I say! You must be after the artificial Epitaph too, aren’t you? Well, you can’t have it!
Yuri: Artificial Epitaph?
Desmond: yes, it’s mine! All mine! I’ll never hand it over to vile little worms like you! It’s mine!
We got the idea, already.Kira: Huh?!
Minas: Fascinating!
Baecker: The Epitaph… it’s activating!
Yuri: Don’t look at me! I didn’t do a thing!
Desmond: Heh heh… Heh heh heh! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Behold! I, Trevor Desmond, have activated the Epitaph! It’s m-mine! All m-m-mine! The Epitaph! It’s mine…!
The screen begins to white out, and we zoom out to orbit.
It looks like it actually worked, though at the very end, the ‘arms’ of the void gate are twitching oddly.
Baecker: D-Desmond… He just--
Dietrich: He disappeared!
Minas: Oh, well. Back to the drawing board.
His indifference is profound, as you can see.Aminda: Professor Minas! There, on the monitor!
On the monitor Aminda Mistika is pointing to, Yuri and company see that the dead gate is emitting an eerie glow.
And this, boys and girls, is why you don’t use McGuffin copies that are still in the beta testing phase. Couldn’t happen to a nicer asshole, at least.Of course, I don’t think anyone could have seen that he would fly off in the thing.
Thomas: Wha--
For once, Thomas, you speak for us all.
Franny: Someone mind explaining what we just saw?
Aminda: Desmond and the dead gate just… fused together?!
Minas: The empirical data suggests exactly that. I’ll name the new object the Desmond Gate.
Franny: Save the crackpot theories and lame names for later, will ya, Professor?!
Yuri: Anyway, it looks like we’ve achieved our objective. Let’s get out of here before enemy reinforcements arrive. Professor Minas, Aminda… You’ll be joining us too, I hope?
Minas: Oh, I wouldn’t miss this chance for anything! I was quite intrigued by your ability to activate that Epitaph. I believe that calls for further in-depth studies!
Minas: Yes, I agree.
Gavriil Minas joined your crew!
Aminda Mistika joined your crew!We leave the lab after that and head back up the elevator. Our science department gets an overhaul, as Minas becomes Chief Scientist again, Musin becomes his Research Assistant, and Aminda becomes his Researcher.
With everyone in their position, it’s time to buckle up – we’ve got a wild ride ahead of us getting back out now that the Lugovalian Empire knows that we’re here.
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Topic: Let's Play: Infinite Space (Read 105372 times)